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Microbial remediation of PAHs in aquatic environments: advances, ssynergistic mechanisms, and emerging strategies
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Toxic chemicals from things like oil spills, car exhaust, and wildfire smoke (called PAHs) often end up in our lakes, rivers, and oceans, and some of them are linked to cancer and other health problems. This review pulls together recent research showing that teams of different microbes—bacteria, fungi, and algae working together—can break down these pollutants far more effectively than any single microbe alone, sometimes eliminating them completely in lab tests. While this points to a promising, eco-friendly way to clean up contaminated water, the authors note that real-world use is still complicated by factors like competing natural microbes and microplast
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are persistent organic pollutants widely distributed in aquatic environments, originating from fossil fuel combustion, oil spills, industrial emissions, and increasingly, wildfires. While microbial degradation represents a green and effective remediation strategy, single microorganisms exhibit limited metabolic capacity. This review demonstrates that synergistic multi-kingdom consortia involving bacteria, fungi, and microalgae achieve substantially higher degradation efficiencies (up to 100% for phenanthrene and pyrene in optimized co-cultures) through three core mechanisms: (i) extracellular polymeric substance (EPS)-mediated pollutant enrichment, which increases local PAH concentration by 5.0-4.5% for pyrene and benzo[a]pyrene; (ii) oxidative stress regulation via coordinated enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant systems; and (iii) interspecies metabolic exchange, including photosynthetic oxygen supply from microalgae to bacterial and fungal pre-oxidation of HMW PAHs into bacterial-mineralizable intermediates. Bibliometric analysis of 1,508 publications (2020-2026) reveals a paradigm shift from single-strain screening toward mechanistic elucidation of interspecies interactions, with "metabolites," "mechanisms," and "bacterial diversity" emerging as burst keywords. Emerging enhancement strategies, including biosurfactant supplementation, microbial immobilization on biochar carriers, and genetic engineering of ring-hydroxylating dioxygenases-are critically evaluated. However, field application remains challenged by environmental matrix complexity, competition with indigenous microbiota, and emerging anthropogenic stressors such as microplastics that alter microbial community assembly. This review provides an integrated mechanistic and strategic framework for developing efficient, resilient, and sustainable PAH bioremediation technologies in aquatic systems.
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Microplastics and oil-related chemicals (PAHs) are both common ocean pollutants, and this study found that while each one alone barely disturbed seafloor microbial communities, together they significantly reduced microbial diversity and disrupted bacteria that break down pollutants and cycle nutrients. This matters because these microbes help naturally clean up toxic chemicals in the ocean, so weakening them could mean pollutants like PAHs — which are linked to cancer risk in humans — stick around longer in the marine environment, including in seafood that eventually reaches our plates.
Microplastics and PAHs mixed contamination: An in-depth review on the sources, co-occurrence, and fate in marine ecosystems
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This review examines how microplastics and PAHs (cancer-causing chemicals from fossil fuel burning) interact in ocean environments, with microplastics acting as carriers that help spread these toxic chemicals through marine ecosystems. This combined contamination matters for human health because both pollutants can accumulate in seafood and potentially reach people through diet.
Exploring the interplay between microplastics, polyciclic aromatic hidrocarbons and biofilms in freshwater
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Researchers explored how microplastics interact with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in freshwater, and how both pollutants together form biofilms. The study found that microplastics can act as concentration surfaces for PAHs, potentially amplifying toxic exposure in organisms that ingest plastic particles.
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This review examined advances in microbiome engineering for degrading polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and other environmental pollutants, covering synthetic biology approaches, microbial consortia design, and host-microbiome modifications. Engineered microbial systems show promise for large-scale bioremediation of contaminated soils and waters.
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This research review summarizes how scientists are using helpful microbes (bacteria, fungi, and algae) to clean up dangerous pollutants in our water and soil, including pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and microplastics that can harm human health. The study shows that these tiny organisms can naturally break down and remove many toxic chemicals from the environment. This matters because it could lead to cheaper, eco-friendly ways to clean up contaminated areas and protect our drinking water and food supply.
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