Association between heavy metals and arbuscular mycorrhizae-forming fungi

In recent years, heavy metal contamination has been a topic that has aroused special interest worldwide, due to the toxicity of heavy metals. Heavy metals can reach the trophic chain by different routes, since many of them are essential nutrients and they are absorbed by plants. There are several technologies to remediate contaminated soils, including phytostabilization and phytoextraction, as part of phytoremediation strategies. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) form symbiotic associations with plants and help those combat different stress types, including metal stress. Essential micronutrients are absorbed in greater quantities by mycorrhizal plants; however, when these elements are found in high concentrations in the soil as contaminants, mycorrhizal fungi can store these cations, avoiding toxicity in plants or hyperaccumulation, a phenomenon known as phytostabilization. Key words: pollution, phytoremediation, phytostabilization