This review discusses the use of phytoremediation to reduce heavy metal (HM) contamination in soil and water. Phytoremediation is a sustainable and cost-effective method that uses plants to detoxify contaminated soils. The review highlights the ecological advantages of phytoremediation over other methods for cleaning contaminated areas and its technical viability. It emphasizes the selection of hyperaccumulator plants, which can grow on HM-contaminated soils and have biochemical mechanisms to isolate, detoxify, and accumulate HMs. The review also discusses plant-microbe interactions that enhance phytoremediation efficiency and genetic modifications that could revolutionize the cleanup of contaminated soils. Additionally, the review explores potential applications of phytoremediation beyond soil detoxification, including its role in bioenergy production and biodiversity restoration in degraded habitats. The review concludes by listing the serious problems resulting from anthropogenic environmental pollution that future generations still need to overcome and suggests promising research directions in which the integration of nano- and biotechnology will play an important role in enhancing the effectiveness of phytoremediation. The review also discusses the four main types of phytoremediation: phytoextraction, rhizofiltration, phytostabilization, and phytovolatilization. Each method is described in detail, including their mechanisms, advantages, and limitations. The review also discusses the mechanisms of metal absorption and tolerance in plants, including the role of rhizosphere interactions, heavy metal transporters, intracellular ligands, phytochelatins, and detoxification and tolerance mechanisms. The review concludes that phytoremediation is a promising tool for environmental restoration and that further research is needed to enhance its effectiveness.This review discusses the use of phytoremediation to reduce heavy metal (HM) contamination in soil and water. Phytoremediation is a sustainable and cost-effective method that uses plants to detoxify contaminated soils. The review highlights the ecological advantages of phytoremediation over other methods for cleaning contaminated areas and its technical viability. It emphasizes the selection of hyperaccumulator plants, which can grow on HM-contaminated soils and have biochemical mechanisms to isolate, detoxify, and accumulate HMs. The review also discusses plant-microbe interactions that enhance phytoremediation efficiency and genetic modifications that could revolutionize the cleanup of contaminated soils. Additionally, the review explores potential applications of phytoremediation beyond soil detoxification, including its role in bioenergy production and biodiversity restoration in degraded habitats. The review concludes by listing the serious problems resulting from anthropogenic environmental pollution that future generations still need to overcome and suggests promising research directions in which the integration of nano- and biotechnology will play an important role in enhancing the effectiveness of phytoremediation. The review also discusses the four main types of phytoremediation: phytoextraction, rhizofiltration, phytostabilization, and phytovolatilization. Each method is described in detail, including their mechanisms, advantages, and limitations. The review also discusses the mechanisms of metal absorption and tolerance in plants, including the role of rhizosphere interactions, heavy metal transporters, intracellular ligands, phytochelatins, and detoxification and tolerance mechanisms. The review concludes that phytoremediation is a promising tool for environmental restoration and that further research is needed to enhance its effectiveness.