A comprehensive overview of elements in bioremediation

Authors

Asha A. Juwarkar,

Asha A. Juwarkar
Email author
o Eco-Restoration Division, National Environmental Engineering
Research Institute (NEERI)Council of Scientific and Industrial
Research (CSIR), Govt. of India

Sanjeev K. Singh,

Sanjeev K. Singh
o Eco-Restoration Division, National Environmental Engineering
Research Institute (NEERI)Council of Scientific and Industrial
Research (CSIR), Govt. of India

Ackmez Mudhoo

Ackmez Mudhoo
o Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of
EngineeringUniversity of Mauritius
Reviews
First Online:
29 August 2010
DOI: 10.1007/s11157-010-9215-6
Cite this article as:
Juwarkar, A.A., Singh, S.K. & Mudhoo, A. Rev Environ Sci Biotechnol (2010)
9: 215. doi:10.1007/s11157-010-9215-6

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Abstract
Sustainable development requires the development and promotion of environmental
management and a constant search for green technologies to treat a wide range of

aquatic and terrestrial habitats contaminated by increasing anthropogenic activities.

Bioremediation is an increasingly popular alternative to conventional methods for
treating waste compounds and media with the possibility to degrade contaminants
using natural microbial activity mediated by different consortia of microbial strains.
Many studies about bioremediation have been reported and the scientific literature
has revealed the progressive emergence of various bioremediation techniques. In this
review, we discuss the various in situ and ex situ bioremediation techniques and
elaborate on the anaerobic digestion technology, phytoremediation,
hyperaccumulation, composting and biosorption for their effectiveness in the
biotreatment, stabilization and eventually overall remediation of contaminated strata
and environments. The review ends with a note on the recent advances genetic
engineering and nanotechnology have had in improving bioremediation. Case studies
have also been extensively revisited to support the discussions on biosorption of
heavy metals, gene probes used in molecular diagnostics, bioremediation studies of
contaminants in vadose soils, bioremediation of oil contaminated soils,
bioremediation of contaminants from mining sites, air sparging, slurry phase
bioremediation, phytoremediation studies for pollutants and heavy metal
hyperaccumulators, and vermicomposting.