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Microbial and multi-omics approaches for bioremediation of emerging contaminants: environmental impact and future engineering solutions
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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.
Emerging contaminants (ECs) are synthetic or naturally occurring chemicals that persist in aquatic and terrestrial environments and cause significant risks to ecosystems and human health. The review focuses on major classes of ECs, including pharmaceuticals, pesticides, industrial chemicals, microplastics, and heavy metals. It systematically examines microbial remediation strategies involving bacteria, fungi, and algae, emphasising their metabolic flexibility in biodegradation and detoxification mechanisms such as bioaugmentation, bio stimulation, and rhizoremediation. It also highlights recent advances in multi-omics technologies that uncover critical genes, metabolic pathways, and regulatory networks, enabling the engineering of microbial consortia for enhanced contaminant removal. The article provides a comprehensive synthesis of microbial taxa, mechanisms, and emerging biotechnological applications, offering novel insights into eco-friendly and sustainable solutions for the effective remediation of various emerging contaminants. The investigation stands out by explaining recent advances in microbial metabolic strategies combined with multi-omics insights for a holistic understanding and future directions in bioremediation of a wide spectrum of emerging environmental contaminants.
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Microbial degradation of contaminants of emerging concern: metabolic, genetic and omics insights for enhanced bioremediation
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This review covers how microorganisms have evolved the ability to break down emerging pollutants including plasticizers, pharmaceuticals, and pesticides, turning them into less harmful substances. Understanding the genes, enzymes, and metabolic pathways these microbes use could lead to cost-effective, eco-friendly cleanup methods for removing persistent contaminants -- including plastic-derived chemicals -- from the environment before they reach people.
Integrating omics and advanced bioremediation technologies to address emerging environmental pollutants
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Everyday pollutants like pesticide residue, pharmaceutical waste, and microplastics build up in our environment—and eventually our bodies—because current cleanup methods can't fully break them down. This review pulls together recent research showing how scientists are combining genetic analysis tools with specially engineered microbes, fungi, and algae to detect and destroy these contaminants more precisely and efficiently. While these technologies are still developing, they point toward more effective ways to clean up the pollutants we're regularly exposed to through water, food, and air.
Bioremediation Techniques for Water and Soil Pollution: Review
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This review covers bioremediation techniques that use microorganisms to break down pollutants in water and soil, including microplastics, heavy metals, and pharmaceutical residues. Researchers highlight how bacteria, fungi, and algae can be harnessed to degrade plastic waste and other contaminants through natural biological processes. The study suggests that bioremediation offers a promising, environmentally friendly approach to tackling pollution, though more research is needed to optimize these techniques for real-world application.
From invisible pollutants to visible impacts: Green solutions for contaminants of emerging concern
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Everyday pollutants like microplastics, drug residues, and pesticides are building up in our water and food chains, potentially disrupting hormones and harming health. This review summarizes existing research on "green" cleanup methods, like using plants and microbes, that remove these contaminants more affordably and sustainably than traditional treatments. Combining these approaches shows the most promise, though making them work at large scale remains a challenge.
Microbial Bioremediation for Environmental Sustainability: Recent Developments
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This review pulls together recent research on using bacteria and other microbes to clean up pollution, including plastics, microplastics, antibiotics, heavy metals, and oil, by having them break down or absorb harmful substances. This matters because microplastics and chemical pollutants increasingly end up in our water, food, and bodies, and finding natural ways to remove them could reduce our long-term exposure. That said, the authors note this technology still faces real hurdles, like working too slowly, sometimes creating toxic byproducts, and lacking real-world testing, so it's not yet a ready-made solution.
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