Bioremediation of Toxic Pollutants

In recent times, environment is getting gravely polluted due to increase in anthropogenic activities. Various industrial and municipal solid wastes have been a major source of heavy metal contamination in soil, water and also as atmospheric aerosols in air. Dyes from the textile industries cause water pollution which is raising a severe concern worldwide. Moreover, microplastics, organic pollutants, pharmaceutical wastes comprise various emerging toxic pollutants for the environment. These contaminants are harmful for living beings and cause various health hazards to them. Proper management of wastes from these sources is required along with environment-friendly remedial techniques. Phytoremediation has been used in this regard for many years. However, nowadays, novel biotechnological tools are used for achieving paths in bioremediation through microorganisms. Microbes possess the ability to biotransform, biosorb, and biomineralize pollutants. Various techniques are available to identify the microorganisms and study of their biological functions using for remediation of hazardous pollutants from the environment. In these chapter bioremediation of some common toxic pollutants and some of the emerging ones have been discussed.