Microbial Bioremediation of Environmental Pollution

A special issue of Processes (ISSN 2227-9717). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental and Green Processes".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 December 2022) | Viewed by 29875

Special Issue Editors

Department of Horticultural Technologies, Faculty of Horticulture, “Ion Ionescu de la Brad” Iasi University of Life Sciences, 700490 Iasi, Romania
Interests: heavy metals; environmental biotechnology; bioremediation; biosorption and bioaccumulation; environmental impact assessment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Department of Environmental Engineering and Management, “Cristofor Simionescu” Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Protection, “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iasi, Romania, 700050 Iasi, Romania
Interests: biosorption; bioaccumulation; phytoremediation of heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants; risk assessment; sustainable industrial production

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The evolution of industry and agriculture, together with the increase of population, have raised many concerns among the scientific community regarding environmental pollution and the limitation of natural resources. Bioremediation technology is one of the top eco-friendly and low-cost technologies which uses the ability of different types of biomasses (microbial, plants, agro-wastes, etc.) to remove, biodegrade, and/or transform pollutants (e.g., organic and inorganic) from various contaminated environments. Detoxifying environmental compartments with the ability of microbial biomass has been considered an innovative solution due to their unique characteristics which can be harnessed to the benefit of humans. Microbial bioremediation is a technology whose full potential has not been recognized yet, even if numerous studies have revealed its advantages. The use of microorganisms to convert or transform harmful contaminants to safe compounds in different environmental matrices started to be an attractive technology, not only for the scientific community, but also for entrepreneurs. However, even numerous lab-based researches exploited the ability of microbial strains to metabolize toxic pollutants, the lack of knowledge regarding the factors involved in microorganism growth, their metabolism, and their dynamic interaction with pollutants in real environmental conditions, often limits the implementation of bioremediation at large scale. Nevertheless, microbial-based technologies used for environmental bioremediation are consistently contributing to the advancement in the removal of pollution, working towards for achieving the sustainable development goals.

This Special Issue on “Microbial bioremediation of environmental pollution” aims to gather research covering all aspects related to the application of microorganisms in bioremediation. This Special Issue will bring together high-quality research articles on different aspects of microorganism-based remediation technology including current status, challenges, and opportunities especially for upgrade from laboratory scale to pilot scale. Topics include, but are not limited to:

  • Microbial-based biosorbents and bioaccumulators
  • Microbial products: technologies and applications
  • Microbial–plant interactions for bioremediation
  • Detoxifying mechanisms used by microbes in bioremediation of environmental contaminants
  • Genetically engineered microorganisms (GEMs) potential for bioremediation
  • Novel processes for enhancing bioremediation of polluted environmental compartments

Dr. Raluca Maria Hlihor
Dr. Petronela Cozma
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • heavy metals
  • persistent organic pollutants
  • biomass
  • microbial bioremediation
  • enhanced bioremediation
  • microorganisms and pollutants
  • environmental matrices

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

5 pages, 213 KiB  
Editorial
Microbial Bioremediation of Environmental Pollution
by Raluca Maria Hlihor and Petronela Cozma
Processes 2023, 11(5), 1543; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pr11051543 - 18 May 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1880
Abstract
Industrial and agricultural progress, coupled with population expansion, has led to many questions in the scientific community over the current status of environmental pollution and natural resource scarcity [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Bioremediation of Environmental Pollution)

Research

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17 pages, 7614 KiB  
Article
Determination of Electrogenic Potential and Removal of Organic Matter from Industrial Coffee Wastewater Using a Native Community in a Non-Conventional Microbial Fuel Cell
by Santiago Erazo and Lina María Agudelo-Escobar
Processes 2023, 11(2), 373; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pr11020373 - 25 Jan 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1097
Abstract
Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are an alternative to conventional wastewater treatments that allow for the removal of organic matter and cogeneration of electrical energy, taking advantage of the oxidation–reduction metabolism of organic compounds conducted by microorganisms. In this study, the electrogenic potential and [...] Read more.
Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are an alternative to conventional wastewater treatments that allow for the removal of organic matter and cogeneration of electrical energy, taking advantage of the oxidation–reduction metabolism of organic compounds conducted by microorganisms. In this study, the electrogenic potential and the capacity for the reduction of the organic matter of native microbial communities in wastewater from the wet processing of coffee were evaluated using open-cathode MFCs. To determine the electrogenic potential, a factorial experimental design was proposed in which the origin of the residual water and the source of the inoculum were evaluated as factors. The MFCs operated for 21 days in both open-circuit and closed-circuit operation modes. Voltage records, current determinations, and chemical oxygen demand (COD) analyses were used to establish the power reached in the electrochemical system and the degree of the decontamination of the wastewater. During the MFC operation, voltages from 200–400 mV and power and current densities from 300–900 mW·m−2 and 10–22 mA·m−2, respectively, were reached. The inoculum used, with a statistical significance of α < 0.05, influenced the electrogenic performance of the microbial fuel cell. The previous process of adaptation to the operational conditions of the MFCs of the native microbial community positively influenced the current generation in the system. The degradation rates reached 500–600 mg·L−1·day−1, indicating the metabolic capacity of the microbial community in the MFCs to achieve the decontamination of wastewater from the coffee agroindustry. It was shown the implementation of bioelectrochemical systems constituted a viable option for the treatment of agricultural waste in Colombia. In addition, it was observed the capacity to cogenerate electrical energy from the biotransformation of the polluting organic matter in the effluents of the coffee industry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Bioremediation of Environmental Pollution)
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17 pages, 3472 KiB  
Article
Performance of a Combined Bacteria/Zeolite Permeable Barrier on the Rehabilitation of Wastewater Containing Atrazine and Heavy Metals
by Bruna Silva, Cassia Z. Pimentel, Bruna Machado, Filomena Costa and Teresa Tavares
Processes 2023, 11(1), 246; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pr11010246 - 12 Jan 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1553
Abstract
Several chemicals, such as pesticides and heavy metals, are frequently encountered together in environment matrices, becoming a priority concerning the prevention of their emissions, as well as their removal from the environment. In this sense, this work aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of [...] Read more.
Several chemicals, such as pesticides and heavy metals, are frequently encountered together in environment matrices, becoming a priority concerning the prevention of their emissions, as well as their removal from the environment. In this sense, this work aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a permeable biosorbent bio-barrier reactor (PBR) on the removal of atrazine and heavy metals (copper and zinc) from aqueous solutions. The permeable bio-barrier was built with a bacterial biofilm of R. viscosum supported on 13X zeolite. One of the aims of this work is the investigation of the toxic effects of atrazine, copper and zinc on the bacterial growth, as well as the assessment of their ability to adapt to repeated exposure to contaminants and to degrade atrazine. The growth of R. viscosum was not affected by concentrations of atrazine bellow 7 mg/L. However, copper and zinc in binary solutions were able to inhibit the growth of bacteria for all the concentrations tested (5 to 40 mg/L). The pre-acclimation of the bacteria to the contaminants allowed for an increase of 50% of the bacterial growth. Biodegradation tests showed that 35% of atrazine was removed/degraded, revealing that this herbicide is a recalcitrant compound that is hard to degrade by pure cultures. The development of a PBR with R. viscosum supported on zeolite was successfully performed and the removal rates were 85% for copper, 95% for zinc and 25% for atrazine, showing the potential of the sustainable and low-cost technology herein proposed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Bioremediation of Environmental Pollution)
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19 pages, 29096 KiB  
Article
Biosorption of Hexavalent Chromium by Bacillus megaterium and Rhodotorula sp. Inactivated Biomass
by Mihaela Roșca, Bruna Silva, Teresa Tavares and Maria Gavrilescu
Processes 2023, 11(1), 179; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pr11010179 - 06 Jan 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1560
Abstract
Due to the adverse effects of hexavalent chromium (Cr6+) on human health and the quality of the environment, the scientific community has invested a lot of effort to solve this pollution problem. Thus, implementing sustainable alternatives for Cr6+ elimination by [...] Read more.
Due to the adverse effects of hexavalent chromium (Cr6+) on human health and the quality of the environment, the scientific community has invested a lot of effort to solve this pollution problem. Thus, implementing sustainable alternatives for Cr6+ elimination by exploiting the capacity of microbial biomass to retain heavy metals by biosorption is considered an economic and eco-friendly solution, compared to the conventional physico-chemical processes. However, the ability of microorganisms to remove Cr6+ from liquid effluents can strongly be affected by biotic and abiotic factors. With these issues in mind, the main purpose of this paper was to investigate Cr6+ biosorption on Bacillus megaterium and Rhodotorula sp. biomass inactivated by thermal treatments, exploring the effects of some factors such as: pH, biosorbent dose, initial concentration of the metal in solution, temperature and contact time between the biosorbent and the metal ions on process effectiveness. The results showed that Cr6+ removal by biosorption on the selected microorganisms was strongly influenced by the pH of the solution which contains chromium, the reduction being the principal mechanism involved in hexavalent chromium biosorption. Equilibrium and kinetic studies were also performed, together with SEM-EDX and FTIR spectra, to explain the mechanisms of the biosorption process on the selected biomasses. Maximum uptake capacities of 34.80 mg/g biosorbent and 47.70 mg/g biosorbent were achieved by Bacillus megaterium and Rhodotorula sp., respectively, at pH 1, biosorbent dosage of 8 g/L, 25 °C, after a contact time of 48 h and an initial Cr6+ concentration in solution of 402.52 mg/L. The experimental results showed that Cr6+ biosorption by selected microorganisms followed the Elovich model, the values of the correlation coefficients being 0.9868 and 0.9887, respectively. The Freundlich isotherm model best describes the Cr6+ biosorption by Bacillus megaterium and Rhodotorula sp., indicating that a multilayer biosorption mainly controls the process and is conducted on heterogeneous surfaces with uniformly distributed energy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Bioremediation of Environmental Pollution)
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19 pages, 8131 KiB  
Article
Screening of Azotobacter, Bacillus and Pseudomonas Species as Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria
by Mariana Minuț, Mariana Diaconu, Mihaela Roșca, Petronela Cozma, Laura Bulgariu and Maria Gavrilescu
Processes 2023, 11(1), 80; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pr11010080 - 28 Dec 2022
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3863
Abstract
In this study, bacteria from the genus of Azotobacter, Bacillus and Pseudomonas were isolated from the roots of Phaseolus vulgaris and used as plant growth-promoting bacteria for Sinapis alba L., Brassica napus L., Amaranthus retroflexus L., Linum usitatissimum L., Panicum miliaceum L. [...] Read more.
In this study, bacteria from the genus of Azotobacter, Bacillus and Pseudomonas were isolated from the roots of Phaseolus vulgaris and used as plant growth-promoting bacteria for Sinapis alba L., Brassica napus L., Amaranthus retroflexus L., Linum usitatissimum L., Panicum miliaceum L. and Rumex patientia L. plants. The results showed that all three bacteria had different effects on plants growth considering both sterile and non-sterile soil. Bacillus sp. induced the greatest influence in terms of the root length of Sinapis alba L. grown in sterile soil (with 28%), while considering non-sterile soil, Pseudomonas sp. increased the root and shoot length by 11.43% and 25.15%, respectively, compared to the blank sample. Azotobacter sp. exerted the highest beneficial influence on Brassica napus L. growth in non-sterile soil, since the root and shoot lengths were stimulated with 27.64% and 52.60%, respectively, compared to uninoculated plants. Bacillus sp. had a positive effect on the growth of the shoot length of Amaranthus retroflexus L. (with 30.30% in sterile soil and 3.69% in non-sterile soil compared to the control). Azotobacter sp. stimulated the growth of the root length of Rumex patientia L. with 35.29% in sterile soil and also the shoot length of Panicum miliaceum L. in non-sterile soil by 20.51% compared to the control. Further, the roots and shoots of Linum usitatissimum L. grown in non-sterile soil and in the presence of Pseudomonas sp. increased by 178.38% and 15.08%, respectively, compared to the flax grown in sterile soil. Statistically, according to Tukey’s Honestly Significant Difference (HSD) test results, not all observed differences in plants grown with the selected bacteria are significantly different compared to the control. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Bioremediation of Environmental Pollution)
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19 pages, 1411 KiB  
Article
Biodegradation of Chlorantraniliprole and Flubendiamide by Some Bacterial Strains Isolated from Different Polluted Sources
by Mohamed A. Fahmy, Samir H. Salem, Shaza Y. A. Qattan, Mohammed A. S. Abourehab, Mada F. Ashkan, Diana A. Al-Quwaie, Hassan I. Abd El-Fattah and Behairy A. Akl
Processes 2022, 10(12), 2527; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pr10122527 - 28 Nov 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1610
Abstract
This study aimed to isolate, purify, and identify some bacteria from different sources known to be contaminated with pesticides and evaluate their ability to degrade two important pesticides, chlorantraniliprole (CAP), and flubendiamide (FBD). In our study, six isolates showed maximum growth in the [...] Read more.
This study aimed to isolate, purify, and identify some bacteria from different sources known to be contaminated with pesticides and evaluate their ability to degrade two important pesticides, chlorantraniliprole (CAP), and flubendiamide (FBD). In our study, six isolates showed maximum growth in the presence of CAP and FBD in the growth media as a sole carbon source. The isolates were purified and then identified by biochemical and morphological tests, MALD-TOF-MS, and 16S rRNA techniques, as Bacillus subtilis subsp. subtilis AZFS3, Bacillus pumilus AZFS5, Bacillus mojavensis AZFS15, Bacillus paramycoides AZFS18, Pseudomonas aeruginosa KZFS4, and Alcaligenes aquatilis KZFS11. The degradation ability of studied bacterial strains against pesticides was estimated under different conditions (temperatures, pH, salt, and incubation time). The results reveal that the optimal conditions for all bacterial strains’ growth were 30–35 °C, pH 7.0, 0.0–0.5% NaCl, and an incubation period of 11 days at 150 rpm in the presence of diamide insecticides at 50 mg/L. The capacity of six bacterial strains of CO2 production and degradation ability against various diamide pesticides and other pesticide groups (Profenofos, Cypermethrin, Carbofuran, and Malathion) were evaluated. The results show that the Pseudomonas aeruginosa KZFS4 (LC599404.1) strain produced the highest CO2 content, about 1.226 mg CO2/16 day, with efficacy in the biodegradation of FBD-CAP (78.6%), while the absorbance of bacterial growth (OD 600) on various pesticides ranged from 1.542 to 1.701. Additionally, Consortium-(No. 3)-mix-6-strains gave 1.553 mg CO2/16 days with efficacy (99.6%) and turbidity of 2.122 to 2.365 (OD 600) on various pesticides. In conclusion, the six bacterial strains could play an important role in the biodegradation process of pollutants in soils. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Bioremediation of Environmental Pollution)
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9 pages, 1225 KiB  
Article
Possible Processes and Mechanisms of Hexachlorobenzene Decomposition by the Selected Comamonas testosteroni Bacterial Strains
by Mariia Dimova, Galyna Iutynska, Nadiya Yamborko, Dani Dordevic and Ivan Kushkevych
Processes 2022, 10(11), 2170; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pr10112170 - 23 Oct 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1762
Abstract
Background: The bacterial destructing activity toward pesticides has been the focus of research in the last few decades. Hexachlorobenzene is included in the organochlorine pesticides group that are prohibited for use. However, large hexachlorobenzene amounts are still concentrated in the soil, stressing [...] Read more.
Background: The bacterial destructing activity toward pesticides has been the focus of research in the last few decades. Hexachlorobenzene is included in the organochlorine pesticides group that are prohibited for use. However, large hexachlorobenzene amounts are still concentrated in the soil, stressing the relevance of research on hexachlorobenzene-destroying bacteria. Methods: The ability to destroy hexachlorobenzene by Comamonas testosteroni UCM B-400, B-401, B-213 strains was investigated and established. Bacteria were cultivated (7 days at 28 °C) in mineral Luria-Bertrani (LB) medium with three hexachlorobenzene doses: 10, 20, 50 mg/L. The hexachlorobenzene concentrations were recorded by a gas chromatography method. Results: The results showed that C. testosteroni UCM B-400, B-401 have high destructive activity toward hexachlorobenzene. The highest (50 mg/L) initial concentration decreased to 41.5 and 43.8%, respectively, for C. testosteroni UCM B-400, B-401. The unadapted C. testosteroni UCM B-213 was tolerant to hexachlorobenzene (cell titers after cultivating with 10.0, 20.0, 50.0 mg/mL were higher compared to initial titer), but had a low-destructing activity level (two times less than B-400 and B-401). Conclusions: Bacterial strains C. testosteroni UCM B-400, B-401 can be seen as a potential soil bioremediation from hexachlorobenzene pollution. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Bioremediation of Environmental Pollution)
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16 pages, 2945 KiB  
Article
Bioremediation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons from Industry Contaminated Soil Using Indigenous Bacillus spp.
by Prisha Mandree, Wendy Masika, Justin Naicker, Ghaneshree Moonsamy, Santosh Ramchuran and Rajesh Lalloo
Processes 2021, 9(9), 1606; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pr9091606 - 08 Sep 2021
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 3728
Abstract
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are reportedly toxic, ubiquitous and organic compounds that can persist in the environment and are released largely due to the incomplete combustion of fossil fuel. There is a range of microorganisms that are capable of degrading low molecular weight [...] Read more.
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are reportedly toxic, ubiquitous and organic compounds that can persist in the environment and are released largely due to the incomplete combustion of fossil fuel. There is a range of microorganisms that are capable of degrading low molecular weight PAHs, such as naphthalene; however, fewer were reported to degrade higher molecular weight PAHs. Bacillus spp. has shown to be effective in neutralizing polluted streams containing hydrocarbons. Following the growing regulatory requirement to meet the PAH specification upon disposal of contaminated soil, the following study aimed to identify potential Bacillus strains that could effectively remediate low and high molecular weight PAHs from the soil. Six potential hydrocarbon-degrading strains were formulated into two prototypes and tested for the ability to remove PAHs from industry-contaminated soil. Following the dosing of each respective soil system with prototypes 1 and 2, the samples were analyzed for PAH concentration over 11 weeks against an un-augmented control system. After 11 weeks, the control system indicated the presence of naphthalene (3.11 µg·kg−1), phenanthrene (24.47 µg·kg−1), fluoranthene (17.80 µg·kg−1) and pyrene (28.92 µg·kg−1), which illustrated the recalcitrant nature of aromatic hydrocarbons. The soil system dosed with prototype 2 was capable of completely degrading (100%) naphthalene, phenanthrene and pyrene over the experimental period. However, the accumulation of PAHs, namely phenanthrene, fluoranthene and pyrene, were observed using prototype 1. The results showed that prototype 2, consisting of a combination of Bacillus cereus and Bacillus subtilis strains, was more effective in the biodegradation of PAHs and intermediate products. Furthermore, the bio-augmented system dosed with prototype 2 showed an improvement in the overall degradation (10–50%) of PAHs, naphthalene, phenanthrene and pyrene, over the un-augmented control system. The following study demonstrates the potential of using Bacillus spp. in a bioremediation solution for sites contaminated with PAHs and informs the use of biological additives for large-scale environmental remediation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Bioremediation of Environmental Pollution)
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Review

Jump to: Editorial, Research

27 pages, 1949 KiB  
Review
Microbial Remediation: A Promising Tool for Reclamation of Contaminated Sites with Special Emphasis on Heavy Metal and Pesticide Pollution: A Review
by Najeebul Tarfeen, Khair Ul Nisa, Burhan Hamid, Zaffar Bashir, Ali Mohd Yatoo, Mohd Ashraf Dar, Fayaz Ahmad Mohiddin, Zakir Amin, Rabi’atul Adawiyah Ahmad and R. Z. Sayyed
Processes 2022, 10(7), 1358; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pr10071358 - 12 Jul 2022
Cited by 32 | Viewed by 5384
Abstract
Heavy metal and pesticide pollution have become an inevitable part of the modern industrialized environment that find their way into all ecosystems. Because of their persistent nature, recalcitrance, high toxicity and biological enrichment, metal and pesticide pollution has threatened the stability of the [...] Read more.
Heavy metal and pesticide pollution have become an inevitable part of the modern industrialized environment that find their way into all ecosystems. Because of their persistent nature, recalcitrance, high toxicity and biological enrichment, metal and pesticide pollution has threatened the stability of the environment as well as the health of living beings. Due to the environmental persistence of heavy metals and pesticides, they get accumulated in the environs and consequently lead to food chain contamination. Therefore, remediation of heavy metals and pesticide contaminations needs to be addressed as a high priority. Various physico-chemical approaches have been employed for this purpose, but they have significant drawbacks such as high expenses, high labor, alteration in soil properties, disruption of native soil microflora and generation of toxic by-products. Researchers worldwide are focusing on bioremediation strategies to overcome this multifaceted problem, i.e., the removal, immobilization and detoxification of pesticides and heavy metals, in the most efficient and cost-effective ways. For a period of millions of evolutionary years, microorganisms have become resistant to intoxicants and have developed the capability to remediate heavy metal ions and pesticides, and as a result, they have helped in the restoration of the natural state of degraded environs with long term environmental benefits. Keeping in view the environmental and health concerns imposed by heavy metals and pesticides in our society, we aimed to present a generalized picture of the bioremediation capacity of microorganisms. We explore the use of bacteria, fungi, algae and genetically engineered microbes for the remediation of both metals and pesticides. This review summarizes the major detoxification pathways and bioremediation technologies; in addition to that, a brief account is given of molecular approaches such as systemic biology, gene editing and omics that have enhanced the bioremediation process and widened its microbiological techniques toward the remediation of heavy metals and pesticides. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Bioremediation of Environmental Pollution)
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38 pages, 4473 KiB  
Review
Sustainable Application of Biosorption and Bioaccumulation of Persistent Pollutants in Wastewater Treatment: Current Practice
by Cătălina Filote, Mihaela Roșca, Raluca Maria Hlihor, Petronela Cozma, Isabela Maria Simion, Maria Apostol and Maria Gavrilescu
Processes 2021, 9(10), 1696; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pr9101696 - 22 Sep 2021
Cited by 47 | Viewed by 5195
Abstract
Persistent toxic substances including persistent organic pollutants and heavy metals have been released in high quantities in surface waters by industrial activities. Their presence in environmental compartments is causing harmful effects both on the environment and human health. It was shown that their [...] Read more.
Persistent toxic substances including persistent organic pollutants and heavy metals have been released in high quantities in surface waters by industrial activities. Their presence in environmental compartments is causing harmful effects both on the environment and human health. It was shown that their removal from wastewaters using conventional methods and adsorbents is not always a sustainable process. In this circumstance, the use of microorganisms for pollutants uptake can be seen as being an environmentally-friendly and cost-effective strategy for the treatment of industrial effluents. However, in spite of their confirmed potential in the remediation of persistent pollutants, microorganisms are not yet applied at industrial scale. Thus, the current paper aims to synthesize and analyze the available data from literature to support the upscaling of microbial-based biosorption and bioaccumulation processes. The industrial sources of persistent pollutants, the microbial mechanisms for pollutant uptake and the significant results revealed so far in the scientific literature are identified and covered in this review. Moreover, the influence of different parameters affecting the performance of the discussed systems and also very important in designing of treatment processes are highly considered. The analysis performed in the paper offers an important perspective in making decisions for scaling-up and efficient operation, from the life cycle assessment point of view of wastewater microbial bioremediation. This is significant since the sustainability of the microbial-based remediation processes through standardized methodologies such as life cycle analysis (LCA), hasn’t been analyzed yet in the scientific literature. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Bioremediation of Environmental Pollution)
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