5. Conclusions

The goal of phytoremediation is to improve the functioning of ecosystems. Plants are considered veritable "ecosystem engineers," and bioremediation by using plants is appreciated as a special applied form of ecosystem services. Assessment of the bioremediation applicability and effectiveness may be required for specific ecosystems, at least until the technology becomes firmly demonstrated and established. Extensive studies of field conditions are required in order to implement this technique in historically heavy metal-contaminated areas.

Thus, further research is still needed before implementing this technique in a large scale. Before becoming a commercially widely applicable process, phytoremediation requires a commitment to resident population and to local authorities in polluted regions, as well as financial and time resources. At the same time, it has the potential to offer low costs for its application and is considered a green alternative to conventional technologies for soil remediation.

Decontamination of polluted soils by using bioaccumulative plantsis proposed as an environmentalfriendly alternative to the traditional physicochemical methods, being a sustainable method with a great potential in the terms of environmental protection and cost management.
