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Novel strategies and advancement in reducing heavy metals from the contaminated environment

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Abstract

The most contemporary ecological issues are the dumping of unprocessed factories’ effluent. As a result, there is an increasing demand for creative, practical, environmentally acceptable, and inexpensive methodologies to remediate inorganic metals (Hg, Cr, Pb, and Cd) liquidated into the atmosphere, protecting ecosystems. Latest innovations in biological metals have driven natural treatment as a viable substitute for traditional approaches in this area. To eliminate pesticide remains from soil/water sites, technologies such as oxidation, burning, adsorption, and microbial degradation have been established. Bioremediation is a more cost-effective and ecologically responsible means of removing heavy metals than conventional alternatives. As a result, microorganisms have emerged as a necessary component of methyl breakdown and detoxification via metabolic reactions and hereditary characteristics. The utmost operative variant for confiscating substantial metals commencing contaminated soil was A. niger, which had a maximum bioaccumulation efficiency of 98% (Cd) and 43% (Cr). Biosensor bacteria are both environmentally sustainable and cost-effective. As a result, microbes have a range of metal absorption processes that allow them to have higher metal biosorption capabilities. Additionally, the biosorption potential of bacterium, fungus, biofilm, and algae, inherently handled microorganisms that immobilized microbial cells for the elimination of heavy metals, was reviewed in this study. Furthermore, we discuss some of the challenges and opportunities associated with producing effective heavy metal removal techniques, such as those that employ different types of nanoparticles.

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Acknowledgements

Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACyT) Mexico is thankfully acknowledged for partially supporting this work under Sistema Nacional de Investigadores (SNI) program awarded to Hafiz M.N. Iqbal (CVU: 735340).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Applied Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan

    Quratulain Maqsood, Nazim Hussain & Mehvish Mumtaz

  2. School of Life Science and Food Engineering, Huaiyin Institute of Technology, Huai’an, 223003, China

    Muhammad Bilal

  3. Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, 64849, Monterrey, Mexico

    Hafiz M. N. Iqbal

Authors
  1. Quratulain Maqsood
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  2. Nazim Hussain
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  3. Mehvish Mumtaz
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  4. Muhammad Bilal
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  5. Hafiz M. N. Iqbal
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Contributions

QM, NH and MB conceptualized the review theme. QM, NH, MM, MB and HMNI wrote the main manuscript text. QM prepared the Tables. NH and HMNI prepared figures. All authors reviewed the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Muhammad Bilal or Hafiz M. N. Iqbal.

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Communicated by Erko Stackebrandt.

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Maqsood, Q., Hussain, N., Mumtaz, M. et al. Novel strategies and advancement in reducing heavy metals from the contaminated environment. Arch Microbiol 204, 478 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00203-022-03087-2

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