Bioremediation of Contaminants in Mine Areas

Dear Colleagues,

Environmental remediation is the technique used to remove contaminants or pollutants from soil, groundwater, and other areas of the environment. This is carried out to repair the environment and prevent additional harm. Chemical and biological methods can be used to remove contaminants. This Special Issue will concentrate on the biological process known as bioremediation. Utilising microorganisms and plants, bioremediation employs techniques like bioprocessing, biodegradation, bioaccumulation, and bioremoval of toxins or pollutants.  It is thought to be the most affordable and efficient method. Microbial bioremediation, mycoremediation, and phytoremediation are the three main types of bioremediation. Hazardous materials are used as an energy source by bacteria during the process of microbial bioremediation, which leads to the breakdown of contaminants. In the case of heavy metals, microorganisms adapt and develop genes that give them the ability to thrive in places with high levels of heavy metal contamination. Microbes secrete extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs), which are made up of proteins, lipids, extracellular DNA, and polysaccharides. Entrapment, efflux, biosorption, reduction, complexation, and precipitation are the effects of EPSs attaching to heavy metals. Mycoremediation is a type of fungi-based bioremediation. Enzymes produced by fungi break down or decompose contaminants or pollutants. Fungi use bioadsorption, biosynthesis, bioaccumulation, biomineralization, bioreduction, bio-oxidation, and EPS precipitation in the removal of heavy metals. The practice of using plants to remove pollutants from the environment is known as phytoremediation. They are more active in less polluted environments. The primary processes employed in phytoremediation are phytovolatilization, phytodegradation, rhizofiltration, phytostabilization, and phytoextraction. Plants and microorganisms function effectively together. Plants use phytoextraction in heavy metal-contaminated environments where metals are absorbed and accumulate in roots, stems, and leaves. During mining activities, the surrounding areas become contaminated, which has an impact on the local vegetation, environment, and population. Numerous mines are abandoned once mining is complete, causing environmental pollution. Acid mine drainage (AMD), which is a byproduct of mining operations, has become a significant issue in waterbodies. Both pollutant eradication and mining area restoration are essential.

Dr. Tonderayi Matambo
Dr. Oluwaseun O. Oyekola
Guest Editors

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• bioleaching
• acid mine drainage
• microbial bioremediation
• phytoremediation
• mycoremediation
• bioprocessing of contaminates
• innovative hybrid technologies (chemicals with biological processes)