This review discusses the application of phytoremediation as a sustainable and cost-effective method for detoxifying heavy metal (HM)-contaminated soils and water. The review highlights the ecological advantages of phytoremediation over other remediation techniques and emphasizes its technical feasibility. It explores the mechanisms by which plants, particularly hyperaccumulators, absorb, detoxify, and accumulate HMs, as well as the role of plant-microbe interactions in enhancing phytoremediation efficiency. The review also addresses genetic modifications that could improve the effectiveness of phytoremediation and discusses its broader applications, including bioenergy production and biodiversity restoration in degraded habitats. The review identifies key challenges in phytoremediation, such as the need for cost-effective and ecologically sound methods, and suggests that the integration of nano- and biotechnology could play a critical role in future advancements. The review covers various phytoremediation techniques, including phytoextraction, rhizofiltration, phytostabilization, phytodegradation, and phytovolatilization, and discusses their advantages, limitations, and suitability for different scenarios. The review also explores the physiological and biochemical mechanisms underlying HM absorption, transport, and detoxification in plants, as well as the role of intracellular ligands, phytochelatins, and detoxification enzymes in plant resistance to HM toxicity. The review concludes by emphasizing the importance of selecting appropriate plant species for phytoremediation, considering their ability to tolerate adverse environmental conditions and accumulate HMs, and highlights the potential of hyperaccumulators and halophytic plants in restoring contaminated soils.This review discusses the application of phytoremediation as a sustainable and cost-effective method for detoxifying heavy metal (HM)-contaminated soils and water. The review highlights the ecological advantages of phytoremediation over other remediation techniques and emphasizes its technical feasibility. It explores the mechanisms by which plants, particularly hyperaccumulators, absorb, detoxify, and accumulate HMs, as well as the role of plant-microbe interactions in enhancing phytoremediation efficiency. The review also addresses genetic modifications that could improve the effectiveness of phytoremediation and discusses its broader applications, including bioenergy production and biodiversity restoration in degraded habitats. The review identifies key challenges in phytoremediation, such as the need for cost-effective and ecologically sound methods, and suggests that the integration of nano- and biotechnology could play a critical role in future advancements. The review covers various phytoremediation techniques, including phytoextraction, rhizofiltration, phytostabilization, phytodegradation, and phytovolatilization, and discusses their advantages, limitations, and suitability for different scenarios. The review also explores the physiological and biochemical mechanisms underlying HM absorption, transport, and detoxification in plants, as well as the role of intracellular ligands, phytochelatins, and detoxification enzymes in plant resistance to HM toxicity. The review concludes by emphasizing the importance of selecting appropriate plant species for phytoremediation, considering their ability to tolerate adverse environmental conditions and accumulate HMs, and highlights the potential of hyperaccumulators and halophytic plants in restoring contaminated soils.