Role of Microbes in Environmental Pollution and Remediation
A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Microbiology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 11
Special Issue Editor
Interests: environmental microbiology; environmental pollution and remediation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Anthropogenic activities have resulted in widespread ecosystem contamination by diverse pollutants, including persistent organic pollutants (POPs), toxic inorganic compounds (e.g., heavy metals), and emerging contaminants such as pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs). These pollutants pose significant risks to environmental and human health. Microorganisms play a paradoxical dual role in this context: they serve as sensitive bioindicators of pollution stress while simultaneously acting as potent agents for bioremediation. However, an integrated understanding that bridges these two aspects is still lacking. This Special Issue aims to compile research that advances our understanding of how pollutants act as key drivers of microbial community diversity and function. We particularly seek studies that harness this knowledge to develop enhanced bioremediation strategies. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following: optimizing traditional approaches like bioaugmentation and biostimulation; exploring modern strategies such as the design of synthetic microbial consortia and microbiome engineering; and elucidating synergistic plant-microbe interactions for rhizoremediation. The overarching goal is to translate fundamental insights into effective, nature-based solutions that enhance microbial fitness and detoxification activity in complex, multi-contaminant environments, thereby contributing to sustainable ecosystem restoration.
Dr. Ling Luo
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Microorganisms is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- microbial community
- organic pollutants
- toxic inorganic compounds
- heavy metal
- pharmaceuticals
- ecosystem restoration
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