Review on Bioremediation as a Strategy to Remove Heavy Metals from Soil and Aqueous Solution

Abstract

The footprint of heavy metals resulting mainly from anthropogenic activity has had a hazardous impact on the environment and human health globally. Soil and water polluted by toxic metals adversely affect plant growth and eventually enter the food chain and affect human health. Physical and chemical approaches are commonly applied to remove heavy metals by transforming them into less or non-toxic forms. However, these methods are not economical or environmentally friendly and their effectiveness is questionable. Bioremediation is a biological approach that employs microbes or plants to remediate the accumulation of heavy metals in the environment. This method has significant benefits that can solve this issue in the long-term without requiring a lot of capital. Bacteria, algae and fungi are omnipresent in the environment and have a high adaptability and tolerance to high toxicity and concentrations of heavy metals. Phytoremediation employs plants to perform detoxification of heavy metals which are an ideal media due to their autotropic system and simple management. Additionally, combined bioremediation (applying two or more organisms) can optimize and enhance heavy metal removal by synergizing the metabolic capacity. This paper discusses and reviews the mechanisms, applications, and limitations of bioremediation for future reference and improvement. This study should be highly beneficial to researchers and practitioners that require information on the significance and development of bioremediation to remove heavy metals in the environment.