Aug 2026· Sheng wu gong cheng xue bao = Chinese journal of biotechnology· Vol 42 8, pp.
3437-3449
· 0 citations
Medicine
TL;DR
This paper focuses on the heterologous expression of functional genes via transgenic technology and explores the potential of gene editing technologies for heavy metal remediation, thereby offering a reference for future environmental remediation efforts and the development of related processes.
Pollution by emerging contaminants like microplastic is one of the major environmental concerns. Microplastics have become ubiquitous anthropogenic pollutants of aquatic, terrestrial and atmospheric ecosystems, and can generate considerable ecological and health-related risks. Conventional remediation regimes are widely ineffective, due to the physicochemical recalcitrance of polymer matrices. Recent advances in microbial biotechnology have revealed several contrasting microbial taxa and enzyme systems, which can convert or mineralize synthetic polymers through a variety of pathways of complex biochemistry. This review summarizes the current understanding of microbial–polymer interactions, including surface colonization, biofilm-mediated depolymerization, and intracellular uptake of degradation intermediates. It also discusses recent developments in enzyme engineering, strain optimization employing the CRISPR method, and synthetic biology approaches improving catabolic efficiency. The advent of a variety of multi-omics technologies of metagenomics, transcriptomics, and metabolomics has enabled the characterization of novel hydrolases and oxidoreductases with a high potential catalytic efficiency. Advances in nanobiocatalysis, enzyme immobilization, and bioreactor technology improve the scale-up of these processes. Related molecular developments and environmental applications will promote the application of microbial biotechnology as a selective and sustainable tool for the mitigation of microplastic accumulation and the development of a circular bioeconomy that interacts positively with ecosystem resilience.
The rapid expansion of industrial, urban, and agricultural activities has led to the continuous release of complex
and persistent pollutants into aquatic ecosystems, posing significant risks to environmental sustainability and human health.
Conventional wastewater treatment technologies, while widely implemented, are often constrained by high energy
requirements, operational costs, incomplete removal of recalcitrant contaminants, and the generation of secondary
pollutants. In recent years, genetically engineered microorganisms (GEMs) have gained considerable attention as an
advanced biological approach for wastewater treatment due to their enhanced metabolic versatility and environmental
compatibility. Through targeted genetic modifications, GEMs demonstrate improved capabilities for the degradation of
organic pollutants, nutrient removal, heavy metal detoxification, and elimination of emerging contaminants such as
pharmaceuticals and endocrine-disrupting compounds. This review critically evaluates the role of genetically engineered
bacteria, fungi, and algae in wastewater treatment, focusing on their underlying mechanisms of action and application across
domestic, industrial, and agricultural wastewater systems. The environmental benefits of GEM-based treatment, including
reduced energy demand and improved treatment efficiency, are highlighted alongside key challenges related to biosafety,
ecological risks, regulatory frameworks, and public acceptance. Recent advances in synthetic biology, genetic containment
strategies, and system integration are discussed to assess future research directions and large-scale implementation
potential. Overall, genetically engineered microorganisms represent a promising and sustainable solution for addressing the
growing complexity of wastewater pollution when supported by robust regulatory oversight and biosafety measures.
Sadaf Zia, Manoranjan Bar· International Journal of Inn...· 0 citations
Synthetic dyes are major environmental contaminants due to their persistence, toxicity, and resistance to conventional treatment methods. Although phytoremediation is widely recognized as an eco-friendly strategy for dye removal, its underlying plant-mediated mechanisms remain insufficiently synthesized. This review integrates current knowledge on the physiological, biochemical, and rhizospheric processes involved in plant-mediated dye remediation. Plants remove or transform dyes through a series of interconnected processes including surface adsorption, uptake and phytoaccumulation, enzymatic degradation, sequestration within plant tissues, and rhizosphere-mediated microbial degradation. Both aquatic macrophytes and terrestrial plants have demonstrated significant capacity for dye removal via these integrated mechanisms. Understanding these interactions provides valuable insight into phytoremediation as a sustainable strategy for mitigating dye pollution. It also identifies key directions for improving remediation efficiency.
Z. M. Sani, Y. Muhammad· Discover Plants· 0 citations
Heavy metal contamination is a major environmental concern due to its persistence, bioaccumulation, and long-term impacts on ecosystems and human health. Among toxic metals, cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) are particularly harmful because of their high toxicity and carcinogenic potential, posing serious risks to plants, animals, and humans even at low concentrations. These metals often enter soil and water through industrial activities, mining, agricultural inputs, and improper waste disposal. Conventional remediation methods, such as chemical treatment, soil excavation, and stabilization, have been used to manage contaminated sites; however, they are often costly, labour- intensive, and may cause secondary environmental pollution, creating a need for more sustainable alternatives. Phytoremediation has emerged as an eco-friendly and cost-effective approach that utilizes the natural ability of plants to absorb, accumulate, detoxify, or stabilize contaminants from soil, water, and air using solar energy. The objectives of this review are to examine the mechanisms of phytoremediation and evaluate recent advance technologies that enhance its efficiency, with a focus on plant growth-promoting microorganisms, biochar, nanomaterials, CRISPR/Cas9-based genetic engineering, isotope monitoring, and AI/ML tools. The novelty of this review lies in its integrated assessment of these emerging technologies as complementary strategies for advancing sustainable heavy metal remediation. Overall, these developments highlight the growing potential of phytoremediation as a sustainable strategy for environmental cleanup. Nevertheless, challenges related to large-scale application, plant tolerance to heavy metals, and long-term ecological sustainability remain, requiring further research to enhance its practical implementation in environmental management.
Arti, G. Yadav, Jyoti Mathur· International journal of phy...· 0 citations
Phytoremediation is a nature-based solution that utilizes plants’ ability to reduce, remove, or detoxify environmental contaminants. This study performed a comprehensive bibliometric analysis using the Scopus database from 2005 to 2025 to evaluate the 20-yr research progress and development of phytoremediation technology in Thailand. The most influential authors, institutions, and research hotspots in this field were identified. Over time, the research focus has developed from plant-centric and single contaminant-based studies to more integrated phytoremediation technologies, such as amendment-assisted and microbial-assisted phytoremediation in co-contaminated environments. However, field-scale implementation remains constrained due to limited community engagement and systemic policy integration. To transition this technology from the lab to the field, future efforts must focus on fostering public engagement and designing evidence-based environmental policies.
Environmental pollution caused by heavy metals and pesticides poses a major threat to agricultural sustainability and ecosystem health. Rapid industrialization and intensive farming practices have accelerated the accumulation of these persistent contaminants in soil, leading to reduced soil fertility, crop productivity, and potential risks to human health through the food chain. Bioremediation has emerged as an eco-friendly and sustainable strategy for detoxifying polluted environments. Among various microbial groups, Actinobacteria have gained significant attention due to their metabolic versatility, stress tolerance, and ability to degrade complex organic pollutants while transforming or immobilizing toxic metals. Genera such as Arthrobacter, Rhodococcus, Streptomyces, Nocardia, and Microbacterium demonstrate strong potential for pesticide degradation and heavy metal remediation in agricultural soils. Recent advances integrating plant microbe interactions, biosurfactant production, nanoparticle mediated remediation, and multi omics technologies have further strengthened the role of Actinobacteria in environmental cleanup. Despite increasing studies on microbial bioremediation, a comprehensive understanding integrating Actinobacteria mediated remediation of both pesticides and heavy metals with emerging omics, nanotechnology, immobilization, and CRISPR based approaches remains limited. In addition, major knowledge gaps still exist regarding field scale applications, multi contaminant remediation efficiency, ecological safety, and long-term stability of engineered or bioaugmented systems. This review uniquely integrates conventional and advanced Actinobacteria based bioremediation strategies while critically discussing mechanistic pathways, recent technological developments, current limitations, and future prospects for sustainable remediation of contaminated agro ecosystems. These emerging approaches highlight the potential of Actinobacteria based strategies as innovative and sustainable solutions for restoring contaminated agro ecosystems.
Vipul M. Bhinsara· Discover Environment· 0 citations
