Search Results (2,078)

The widespread use of pesticides in modern agriculture has significantly enhanced food production by managing pests and diseases; however, their degradation in soil can lead to unintended consequences for soil fertility and nutrient cycling. This review explores the mechanisms of pesticide degradation, both abiotic and biotic, and the soil factors influencing these processes. It critically examines how degradation products impact soil microbial communities, organic matter decomposition, and key nutrient cycles, including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and micronutrients. This review highlights emerging evidence linking pesticide residues with altered enzymatic activity, disrupted microbial populations, and reduced nutrient bioavailability, potentially compromising soil structure, water retention, and long-term productivity. Additionally, it discusses the broader environmental and agricultural implications, including decreased crop yields, biodiversity loss, and groundwater contamination. Sustainable management strategies such as bioremediation, the use of biochar, eco-friendly pesticides, and integrated pest management (IPM) are evaluated for mitigating these adverse effects. Finally, this review outlines future research directions emphasizing long-term studies, biotechnology innovations, and predictive modeling to support resilient agroecosystems. Understanding the intricate relationship between pesticide degradation and soil health is crucial to ensuring sustainable agriculture and food security. Full article

Heavy metal pollution, particularly copper contamination, threatens the ecological environment and human survival. In response to this pressing environmental issue, the development of innovative remediation strategies has become imperative. Bioremediation technology is characterized by remarkable advantages, including its ecological friendliness, cost-effectiveness, and operational efficiency. In our previous research, Rossellomorea sp. ZC255 demonstrated substantial potential for environmental bioremediation applications. This study investigated the removal characteristics and underlying mechanism of strain ZC255 and revealed that the maximum removal capacity was 253.4 mg/g biomass under the optimal conditions (pH 7.0, 28 °C, and 2% inoculum). The assessment of the biosorption process followed pseudo-second-order kinetics, while the adsorption isotherm may fit well with both the Langmuir and Freundlich models. Cell surface alterations on the Cu(II)-treated biomass were observed through scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Cu(II) binding functional groups were determined via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. Simultaneously, the genomic analysis of strain ZC255 identified multiple genes potentially involved in heavy metal resistance, transport, and metabolic processes. These studies highlight the significance of strain ZC255 in the context of environmental heavy metal bioremediation research and provide a basis for using strain ZC255 as a copper removal biosorbent. Full article

Widespread antibiotic residues are accumulating in the environment, potentially causing adverse effects for humans, animals, and the ecosystem, including an increase in antibiotic-resistant bacteria, resulting in worldwide concern. There are various commonly used physical, chemical, and biological treatments for the degradation of antibiotics. However, the elimination of toxic end products generated by physicochemical methods and the need for industrial applications pose significant challenges. Hence, environmentally sustainable, green, and readily available approaches for the transformation and degradation of these antibiotic compounds are being sought. Herein, we review the impact of sustainable fungal laccase-based bioremediation strategies. Fungal laccase enzyme is considered one of the most active enzymes for biotransformation and biodegradation of antibiotic residue in vitro. For industrial applications, the low laccase yields in natural and genetically modified hosts may constitute a bottleneck. Methods to screen for high-laccase-producing sources, optimizing cultivation conditions, and identifying key genes and metabolites involved in extracellular laccase activity are reviewed. These include advanced transcriptomics, proteomics, and metagenomics technologies, as well as diverse laccase-immobilization technologies with different inert carrier/support materials improving enzyme performance whilst shifting from experimental assays to in situ monitoring of residual toxicity. Still, more basic and applied research on laccase-mediated bioremediation of pharmaceuticals, especially antibiotics that are recalcitrant and prevalent, is needed. Full article

This study investigates the viability of a native Scenedesmus sp. strain for use in a 50 L bubble column photobioreactor designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions under simulated spring, extreme summer, and winter conditions. The experiments were conducted by placing the reactor in a controlled climatic chamber, which allowed us to regulate the temperature, light intensity, and day–night cycles throughout the entire experiment. The results showed that under simulated spring conditions (a maximum temperature of 22 °C), the algal culture grew continuously for 61 days. Under extreme summer conditions (a maximum temperature of 39 °C), an initial drop in cell density was followed by recovery and continued growth over 75 days, although biomass production was 35% lower. Under winter conditions (a maximum temperature of 10 °C), the culture failed, indicating the need to prevent temperatures below 10 °C. In terms of biomass production, the culture densities achieved were 1.04 g L⁻¹ and 0.68 g L⁻¹ in the spring and summer trials, respectively. The Scenedesmus sp. strain demonstrated high carbon capture efficiency, tolerance to extreme heat, and sustained growth without the need for fresh medium or pH adjustments for over 60 days during spring and extreme summer conditions, confirming its potential for outdoor applications. Full article

Complex wastewater matrices hinder the efficacy of conventional treatment methods due to the presence of various inorganic and organic pollutants, along with their intricate interactions. Leveraging the synergy between algae and bacteria, algal–bacterial symbiosis (ABS) systems offering an evolutionary and highly effective approach. The ABS system demonstrates 10–30% higher removal efficiency than conventional biological/physicochemical methods under identical conditions, especially at low C/N ratios. Recent advances in biology techniques and big data analytics have deepened our understanding of the synergistic mechanisms involved. Despite the system’s considerable promise, challenges persist concerning complex pollution scenarios and scaling it for industrial applications, particularly regarding system design, environmental adaptability, and stable operation. In this review, we explore the current forms and operational modes of ABS systems, discussing relevant mechanisms in various wastewater treatment contexts. Furthermore, we examine the advantages and limitations of ABS systems in treating complex wastewater matrices, highlighting challenges and proposing future directions. Full article

Heavy metal pollution represents a pervasive environmental challenge that significantly exacerbates the ever-increasing crisis of antimicrobial resistance and the capacity of microorganisms to endure and proliferate despite antibiotic interventions. This review examines the intricate relationship between heavy metals and AMR, with an emphasis on the underlying molecular mechanisms and ecological ramifications. Common environmental metals, including arsenic, mercury, cadmium, and lead, exert substantial selective pressures on microbial communities. These induce oxidative stress and DNA damage, potentially leading to mutations that enhance antibiotic resistance. Key microbial responses include the overexpression of efflux pumps that expel both metals and antibiotics, production of detoxifying enzymes, and formation of protective biofilms, all of which contribute to the emergence of multidrug-resistant strains. In the soil environment, particularly the rhizosphere, heavy metals disrupt plant–microbe interactions by inhibiting beneficial organisms, such as rhizobacteria, mycorrhizal fungi, and actinomycetes, thereby impairing nutrient cycling and plant health. Nonetheless, certain microbial consortia can tolerate and detoxify heavy metals through sequestration and biotransformation, rendering them valuable for bioremediation. Advances in biotechnology, including gene editing and the development of engineered metal-resistant microbes, offer promising solutions for mitigating the spread of metal-driven AMR and restoring ecological balance. By understanding the interplay between metal pollution and microbial resistance, we can more effectively devise strategies for environmental protection and public health. Full article

Nigerian poverty research is often fragmented and focuses on samples with minimal actionable strategies. This study aims to identify essential poverty alleviation and climate change strategies by synthesizing existing research, extracting the most critical poverty alleviation and climate change factors, and assessing strategies to combat poverty and climate change in Nigeria. We obtained, utilizing the centrality measures of social network analysis and the visualization tools of bibliometric analysis, the research hotspots extracted from 119 articles from the SCOPUS database for the period 1994–2023, compared outcomes with other countries, and analyzed their implications for eradicating poverty in Nigeria. We find that low agricultural productivity and food insecurity are some of the essential poverty-engendering factors in Nigeria, which are being intensified by climate change irregularities. Also, researchers demonstrate weak collaboration and synergy, as only 0.02% of researchers collaborated. Our findings highlight the need to direct poverty alleviation efforts to the key areas identified in this study and increase cooperation between poverty alleviation and climate researchers. Full article

The main objective of this study was to select indigenous fungal species suitable for the potential mycoremediation of the soils polluted by organic pollutants. As a sampling area, Litvínov City (North Bohemia, Czech Republic) was selected. The city is characterized by intensive coal mining, coal processing, and the chemical industry, predominantly petrochemistry. The elevated contents of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) such as polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) were identified in urban soils due to the long-term industrial pollution. The results confirmed elevated contents of PAHs in all the analyzed soil samples with high variability ranging between 0.5 and 23.3 mg/kg regardless of the position of the sampling area on the city map. PCBs and PCDD/Fs exceeded the detection limits in the soil at the sampling points, and several hotspots were revealed at some locations. All the sampling points contained a diverse community of saprotrophic and mycorrhizal fungi, as determined according to abundant basidiomycetes. Fungal species with a confirmed ability to degrade organic pollutants were found, such as species representing the genera Agaricus from the Agaricaceae family, Coprinopsis from the Psathyrellaceae family, Hymenogaster from the Hymenogasteraceae family, and Pluteus from the Pluteaceae family. These species are accustomed to particular soil conditions as well as the elevated contents of the POPs in them. Therefore, these species could be taken into account when developing potential bioremediation measures to apply in the most polluted areas, and their biodegradation ability should be elucidated in further research. The results of this study contribute to the investigation of the potential use of fungal species for mycoremediation of the areas polluted by a wide spectrum of organic pollutants. Full article

Given the environmental significance of the textile industry, especially the accumulation of nondegradable materials, there is extensive development of greener approaches to fabric waste management. Here, we investigated the biodegradation potential of three Streptomyces strains in model compost on polyamide (PA) and polyamide-elastane (PA-EA) as synthetic, and on cotton (CO) as natural textile materials. Weight change of the materials was followed, while Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) were used to analyze surface changes of the materials upon biodegradation. The bioluminescence-based toxicity test employing Aliivibrio fischeri confirmed the ecological safety of the tested textiles. After 12 months, the increase of 10 and 16% weight loss, of PA-EA and PA, respectively, was observed in compost augmented with Streptomyces sp. BPS43. Additionally, a 14% increase in cotton degradation was recorded after 2 months in compost augmented with Streptomyces sp. NP10. Genome exploration of the strains was carried out for potential plastic-degrading enzymes. It highlighted BPS43 as the most versatile strain with specific amidases that show sequence identity to UMG-SP-1, UMG-SP-2, and UMG-SP-3 (polyurethane degrading enzymes identified from compost metagenome). Our results showcase the behavior of Streptomyces sp. BPS43 in the degradation of PA and PA-EA textiles in composting conditions, with enzymatic potential that could be further characterized and optimized for increased synthetic textile degradation. Full article

Leather biodegradation is a complex microbial process with increasing relevance for sustainable waste management. In this study, we investigated bacterial communities responsible for the degradation of leather treated with different tanning agents (chrome, Zeolite, Biole^®) using high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing and metatranscriptomic analysis. Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Patescibacteria emerged as the dominant phyla, while genera such as Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, and Sphingopyxis were identified as key contributors to enzymatic activity and potential metal resistance. A total of 1302 enzymes were expressed across all the conditions, including 46 proteases, with endopeptidase La, endopeptidase Clp, and methionyl aminopeptidase being the most abundant. Collagen samples exhibited the highest functional diversity and total enzyme expression, whereas chrome-treated samples showed elevated protease activity, indicating selective pressure from heavy metals. Differential enzyme expression patterns were linked to both the microbial identity and tanning chemistry, revealing genus- and treatment-specific enzymatic signatures. These findings deepen our understanding of how tanning agents modulate the microbial structure and function and identify proteases with potential applications in the bioremediation and eco-innovation of leather waste processing. Full article

In this study, a highly cadmium (II)-resistant bacterium strain, C10-4, identified as Bacillus altitudinis, was isolated from a sediment sample collected from Baiyangdian Lake, China. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of Cd(II) for strain C10-4 was 1600 mg/L. Factors such as the contact time, pH, Cd(II) concentration, and biomass dosage affected the adsorption of Cd(II) by strain C10-4. The adsorption process fit well to the Langmuir adsorption isotherm model and the pseudo-second-order kinetics model, based on the Cd(II) adsorption data obtained from the cells of strain C10-4. This suggests that Cd(II) is adsorbed by strain C10-4 cells via a single-layer homogeneous chemical adsorption process. According to the Langmuir model, the maximum biosorption capacity was 3.31 mg/g for fresh-strain C10-4 biomass. Cd(II) was shown to adhere to the bacterial cell wall through SEM-EDS analysis. FTIR spectroscopy further indicated that the main functional sites for the binding of Cd(II) ions on the cell surface of strain C10-4 were functional groups such as N-H, -OH, -CH-, C=O, C-O, P=O, sulfate, and phosphate. After the inoculation of strain C10-4 into Cd(II)-contaminated soils, there was a significant reduction (p < 0.01) in the exchangeable fraction of Cd and an increase (p < 0.01) in the sum of the reducible, oxidizable, and residual fractions of Cd. The results show that Bacillus altitudinis C10-4 has good potential for use in the remediation of Cd(II)-contaminated soils. Full article

Microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) can affect microbial abundance and activity, likely by damaging cell membrane components. While their effects on anaerobic digestion are known, less is understood about their impact on microbes involved in contaminant bioremediation. Chlorinated volatile organic contaminants (CVOCs) such as tetrachloroethene (PCE) and explosives like hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) are common in the environment, and their bioremediation is a promising cleanup strategy. This study examined how polystyrene (PS) and polyamide 6 (PA6) MPs and NPs influence CVOC and RDX biodegradation. PS particles did not inhibit the CVOC-degrading community SDC-9, but PA6 MPs impaired the reductive dechlorination of trichloroethene (TCE) to cis-1,2-dichloroethene (cis-DCE), causing a “cis-DCE stall” with no further conversion to vinyl chloride (VC) or ethene. Only 45% of TCE was dechlorinated to cis-DCE, and Dehalococcoides mccartyi abundance dropped 1000-fold in 35 days with PA6 MPs. In contrast, neither PA6 nor PS MPs and NPs affected RDX biotransformation. These results highlight the significant impact of PA6 MPs on CVOC biodegradation and the need to consider plastic pollution in environmental management. Full article

This study analyzed the heavy metal tolerance and chromium reduction and the potential of plant growth to promote Rhizobium sp. OS-1. By genetic makeup, the Rhizobium strain is nitrogen-fixing and phosphate-solubilizing in metal-contaminated agricultural soil. Among the Rhizobium group, bacterial strain OS-1 showed a significant tolerance to heavy metals, particularly chromium (900 µg/mL), zinc (700 µg/mL), and copper. In the initial investigation, the bacteria strains were morphologically short-rod, Gram-negative, appeared as light pink colonies on media plates, and were biochemically positive for catalase reaction and the ability to ferment glucose, sucrose, and mannitol. Further, bacterial genomic DNA was isolated and amplified with the 16SrRNA gene and sequencing; the obtained 16S rRNA sequence achieved accession no. HE663761.1 from the NCBI GenBank, and it was confirmed that the strain belongs to the Rhizobium genus by phylogenetic analysis. The strain’s performance was best for high hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] reduction at 7–8 pH and a temperature of 30 °C, resulting in a total decrease in 96 h. Additionally, the adsorption isotherm Freundlich and Langmuir models fit best for this study, revealing a large biosorption capacity, with Cr(VI) having the highest affinity. Further bacterial chromium reduction was confirmed by an enzymatic test of nitro reductase and chromate reductase activity in bacterial extract. Further, from the metal biosorption study, an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model was built to assess the metal reduction capability, considering the variables of pH, temperature, incubation duration, and initial metal concentration. The model attained an excellent expected accuracy (R² > 0.90). With these features, this bacterial strain is excellent for bioremediation and use for industrial purposes and agricultural sustainability in metal-contaminated agricultural fields. Full article

This study addresses the understanding of fungal diversity and their bioremediation roles in an integrated aquaculture wastewater bioremediation system, an area less explored compared to bacteria, viruses, and protozoa. Despite the rapid advancement and affordability of molecular tools, insights into fungal communities remain vague, and interpreting environmental studies in an ecologically meaningful manner continues to pose challenges. To bridge this knowledge gap, we developed an integrated aquaculture wastewater bioremediation system, incorporating photosynthetic bacteria, and utilizing internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequencing to analyze fungal community composition. Our findings indicate that the fungal community in aquaculture wastewater is predominantly composed of the phyla Ascomycota and Chytridiomycota, with dominant genera including Aspergillus, Hortea, and Ciliphora. FUNGuild, a user-friendly trait and character database operating at the genus level, facilitated the ecological interpretation of fungal functional groups. The analysis revealed significant negative correlations between nutrient levels (COD_mn, NH₄⁺-N, NO₃⁻-N, NO₂⁻-N, and PO₄⁻³-P) and specific fungal functional groups, including epiphytes, animal pathogens, dung saprotrophs, plant pathogens, and ectomycorrhizal fungi. The removal rate for the COD_mn, NH₄⁺-N, NO₃⁻-N, NO₂⁻-N, and PO₄⁻³-P were 71.42, 91.37, 88.80, 87.20, and 91.72% respectively. This study highlights the potential role of fungal communities in bioremediation processes and provides a framework for further ecological interpretation in aquaculture wastewater treatment systems. Full article

The widespread use of bacteria in bioremediation led us to consider what Compulsory Secondary Education (ESO) and Baccalaureate students know about prokaryotes and what their attitudes towards them are. This study focuses on the analysis of the arguments made by secondary school students from several Spanish schools regarding the application of bioremediation to eliminate polluting plastics from the environment. Semi-structured interviews were used to obtain information on descriptive aspects regarding the application of biotechnology to bioremediation. This instrument allows for a better understanding of what students know about biotechnology and what they value when adopting a particular attitude towards improving the environment through systematic observations and recording spontaneously occurring events. The arguments used by these students were analyzed from the perspective of the knowledge and values they consider when making their justifications. It was observed that the students viewed the use of microorganisms to treat waste positively and valued the environmental impact and scientific progress, although they had doubts about certain technical aspects. A teaching approach based on the biodegradation of plastics encourages critical thinking and can be integrated transversally into teaching, promoting debates and reflections on science and values. It is recommended that these types of activities continue to be developed to improve science education. Full article