Viability of different plant families as remediators of crude oil-contaminated soil

Crude oil-contaminated soils represent major environmental and socioeconomic challenges in regions of intensive petroleum exploration, and the sustainable restoration of the ecosystem has become an issue of concern. Therefore, this study evaluates the viability of diverse plant species, across multiple families, as remediators of petroleum hydrocarbon (PHC)-contaminated soils. Critical issues influencing phytoremediation efficiency, such as contaminant bioavailability, plant tolerance, and soil physicochemical properties, were examined. Furthermore, the review evaluates the importance of biostimulation and bioaugmentation as complementary processes that significantly enhance the remediation capacity of plants in PHC-contaminated soils. The principal phytoremediation mechanisms include phytoextraction, phytostabilization, rhizodegradation, and phytotransformation, each contributing to PHC degradation, immobilization, or uptake. Poaceae, Fabaceae, and Asteraceae were the most frequently employed families for remediation due to their ecological adaptability, high biomass production, and ability to stimulate rhizosphere microbial activity. Poaceae and Fabaceae independently showed mean efficiencies of 63.81% and 60.78%, respectively, while their combinations achieved approximately 87.55%. Diverse multispecies assemblages exceeded 88%, highlighting the role of biodiversity, root traits, and microbial interactions in optimizing remediation performance. The study identified the potential of each family as a sustainable, cost-effective, and eco-friendly approach for restoration of the PHC-contaminated soil ecosystems.