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Microbial Remediation of Heavy Metals

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Microbial Bioremediation & Biodegradation

Abstract

Background: The indiscriminate use of heavy metals for anthropogenic purposes such as in color pigments, batteries, fertilizers, or other industrial products has brought a significant change in their presence and concentration in the environment. This alteration results in accumulation of one or more heavy metals at a place surpassing the natural admissible limits causing pollution in the air, water, and soil. Most of heavy metals, even at very low concentrations, are toxic, carcinogenic, and mutagenic in nature. Humans and animals contract various diseases when they are in prolonged exposure to heavy metals through dermal contact, inhalation, and consumption of foodstuffs having heavy metals in it. As per the reports published by many public health organizations, several million human populations throughout the world are suffering from heavy metal-associated diseases.

Methods: Various approaches used to degrade heavy metals include physical, chemical, biological, or a combination of these methods, but many of these methods are not environment-friendly and economically viable. Not a single method claims complete degradation of heavy metals. Salts of heavy metals, in general, are water-soluble and cannot be separated through physical means. Physiochemical methods bring secondary pollution at the site of treatment. The application of microbes in heavy metal remediation and degradation has been under investigation for decades as they transform them into a less or nontoxic form. It is comparatively more effective, economic, and environment-friendly. Microbial metabolic secretions, such as low-molecular-weight organic acids, can dissolve heavy metals and soil particles containing heavy metal minerals. Microbes use various processes such as precipitation, biosorption, and enzymatic transformation to degrade or reduce heavy metals into innocuous or less toxic form that are more stable, less mobile, or inert.

Conclusion: In view of this, the present chapter investigates the abilities of microbes in terms of tolerance and degradation of heavy metals. Further, this study undertakes an assessment of human health risks associated with presence of heavy metals in water and microbial bioremediation as a tool to reduce the ill effect of these heavy metals on human health and environment. Also, recent advances in biotechnological tools and techniques to explore microbial population for heavy metal bioremediation and biodegradation have been discussed.

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  1. Plant Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Delhi Technological University, Delhi, India

    Lakhan Kumar & Navneeta Bharadvaja

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  1. Environmental Microbiology Lab, Bharuch, Gujarat, India

    Maulin P. Shah

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Kumar, L., Bharadvaja, N. (2020). Microbial Remediation of Heavy Metals. In: Shah, M. (eds) Microbial Bioremediation & Biodegradation. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-1812-6_2

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