Toxicity of Arsenic and Molecular Mechanism in Plants

The element arsenic is most toxic and nonessential to plants. The pollution of arsenic is a global menace. From water bodies to agricultural land, arsenic contamination is recorded. Further, many countries are facing serious health risks as a result of the consumption of arsenic-contaminated water and food. Hence, it has become essential to eliminate arsenic from the environment through various new treatment technologies. Also for its elimination, a complete understanding of its metabolism in plants and various pathways is required. In this chapter, the toxicity of arsenic and its various mechanisms such as arsenate reduction, methylation, and accumulation process are described. The chapter also highlights the knowledge of various treatment processes.