Chapter 10 - Microbial approach for alleviation of potentially toxic elements in agricultural soils

Abstract

Soils contamination by toxic elements is a serious environmental problem that compromises ecosystems, affecting the food chain and the survival of organisms. Traditional methods for the mitigation of potentially toxic elements in soils are often difficult to apply and have a high implementation cost. The use of microorganisms has proven to be an innovative solution and environmentally sustainable for the decontamination of polluted environments, mainly because they are affordable, easy to implement, and highly effective. Reduce or eliminate the effects of toxic elements in the soil–plant–atmosphere system, favoring plant production and sustainability, requires the use of integrated and ecosystemic vision. As soil is the main and primary source for human food supply, improving the performance of agricultural production by the use of microorganisms, even in the contaminated soils, presents itself as an important challenge for the development of agriculture that favors the environmental balance in times of climate change.