Microbial Bioremediation: New Approaches to Organic Pollutant Clean-Up

Dear Colleagues,

The rapid development of industry and agriculture, along with population growth, has raised significant concerns within the scientific community regarding environmental pollution and the depletion of natural resources. Bioremediation has emerged as a leading eco-friendly and cost-effective approach, utilizing various types of biomasses to remove, degrade, or transform organic and inorganic pollutants in contaminated environments. The use of microbial biomass to detoxify environmental compartments offers a novel solution, thanks to their unique properties that can be harnessed for human benefit. Although the potential of microbial bioremediation remains underappreciated, numerous studies have highlighted its advantages. The ability of microorganisms to convert harmful contaminants into harmless compounds across different environmental contexts is increasingly recognized, not only by researchers but also by entrepreneurs. However, despite many laboratory studies demonstrating microbial strains’ ability to metabolize toxic substances, gaps in understanding the factors influencing microbial growth, metabolism, and interaction with pollutants in real-world conditions continue to hinder large-scale bioremediation efforts. Nevertheless, microbe-based technologies are making consistent progress in advancing pollution removal, contributing to achieving sustainable development goals.

This Special Issue on “Microbial Bioremediation: New Approaches to Organic Pollutant Clean-Up” seeks to compile research that explores all facets of microbial applications in bioremediation. It aims to present high-quality studies on various aspects of microorganism-based remediation technologies, including their current state, challenges, and opportunities, particularly the transition from laboratory research to pilot-scale implementation.

Topics may encompass, but are not limited to, the following:

• Microbial contributions to nutrient cycling in agroecosystems.
• Reduction in contaminants through innovative bioremediation methods.
• Microbes’ ability to adapt to and absorb xenobiotics.
• Detoxification strategies employed by microbes in the bioremediation of environmental pollutants.
• The potential of genetically modified microorganisms (GEMs) for bioremediation.
• Contemporary metagenomic techniques for identifying active microbial communities in polluted environments, i.e., RNA-seq, proteomics, and genomics.
• Innovative methods for improving the bioremediation of contaminated environmental compartments.

Dr. Qichun Zhang
Guest Editor

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