A Review on the Synergistic Approaches for Heavy Metals Bioremediation: Harnessing the Power of Plant-Microbe Interactions

Heavy metals contamination is a serious threat to all life forms. Long term exposure of heavy metals can lead to different life-threatening medical conditions including cancers of different body parts. Phytoremediation and bioremediation offer a potential eco-friendly solution to such problems. Different microbes can interact with heavy metals in a variety of ways such as biotransformation, oxidation/reduction, and biosorption. Phytoremediation of the heavy metals using plants mostly involves rhizofilteration, phytoextraction, phytovolatization, and Phyto stabilization. A synergistic approach using both plants and microbes has proven much more efficient as compared to the individual applications of microbes or plants. This article aims to highlight the synergistic methods used in bioremediation, emphasizing the potent collaboration between bacteria and plants for environmental cleaning, along with the discussion of the importance of site-specific variables and potential constraints. While identifying the necessity for all-encompassing solutions, this review places emphasis on the combination of methodologies as a multifarious rehabilitation approach. This discussion offers insightful suggestions for scholars, scientists and decision-makers about the sustainable recovery of heavy metal-contaminated environments using a comprehensive strategy. REFERENCES Ankit, Bauddh K, Korstad J (2022). Phycoremediation: Use of algae to sequester heavy metals. Hydrobiol. 1(3): 288-303. Arantza SJ, Hiram MR, Erika K, Chávez-Avilés MN, Valiente-Banuet JI, Fierros-Romero G (2022). Bio-and phytoremediation: Plants and microbes to the rescue of heavy metal polluted soils. SN Appl. Sci. 4(2): 59. Azubuike CC, Chikere CB, Okpokwasili GC (2016). Bioremediation techniques–classification based on site of application: principles, advantages, limitations and prospects. World J. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 32: 1-18. Berti WR, Cunningham SD (2000). Phytostabilization of metals. Phytoremediation of toxic metals: Using plants to clean up the environment. Wiley, New York. 71-88. Bingöl NA, Özmal F, Akın B (2017). Phytoremediation and biosorption potential of Lythrum salicaria for nickel removal from aqueous solutions. Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 26(6): 2479-2485. Chandra R, Saxena G, Kumar V (2015). Phytoremediation of environmental pollutants: an eco-sustainable green technology to environmental management, In Advances in biodegradation and bioremediation of industrial waste. 1-29. Chaudhary K, Agarwal S, Khan S (2018). Role of phytochelatins (PCs), metallothioneins (MTs), and heavy metal ATPase (HMA) genes in heavy metal tolerance, In Mycoremediation and Environmental Sustainability. Volume 2: 39-60. Choudhary M, Kumar R, Datta A, Nehra V, Garg N (2017). Bioremediation of heavy metals by microbes, In Bioremediation of salt affected soils: an Indian perspective. 233-255. Chugh M, Kumar L, Shah MP, Bharadvaja N (2022). Algal bioremediation of heavy metals: An insight into removal mechanisms, recovery of by-products, challenges, and future opportunities. Energy Nexus. 7:100129. Congeevaram S, Dhanarani S, Park J, Dexilin M, Thamaraiselvi K (2007). Biosorption of chromium and nickel by heavy metal resistant fungal and bacterial isolates. J. Hazard. Mat. 146(1-2): 270-277. Cristaldi A, Conti GO, Jho EH, Zuccarello P, Grasso A, Copat C, Ferrante M (2017). Phytoremediation of contaminated soils by heavy metals and PAHs. A brief review. Environ. Technol. Inno. 8: 309-326. Crusberg T, Mark S. (2000). Heavy metal remediation of wastewaters by microbial biotraps, In Springer. 123-137. Emenike CU, Jayanthi B, Agamuthu P, Fauziah S (2018). Biotransformation and removal of heavy metals: a review of phytoremediation and microbial remediation assessment on contaminated soil. Environ. Rev. 26(2): 156-168. Ghosh M, Singh S (2005). A review on phytoremediation of heavy metals and utilization of it’s by products. Asian J. Energy Environ. 6(4): 18. Guignardi Z, Schiavon M (2017). Biochemistry of plant selenium uptake and metabolism, In Selenium in plants: molecular, physiological, ecological and evolutionary aspects. 21-34. Hong-Bo S, Li-Ye C, Cheng-Jiang R, Hua L, Dong-Gang G, Wei-Xiang L (2010). Understanding molecular mechanisms for improving phytoremediation of heavy metal-contaminated soils. Crit. Rev. Biotechnol. 30(1): 23-30. Igiri BE, Okoduwa SI, Idoko GO, Akabuogu EP, Adeyi AO, Ejiogu IK (2018). Toxicity and bioremediation of heavy metals contaminated ecosystem from tannery wastewater: a review. J. Toxicol. 2018. Jabeen R, Ahmad A, Iqbal M (2009). Phytoremediation of heavy metals: physiological and molecular mechanisms. Bot. Rev. 75: 339-364. Joshi P, Swarup A, Maheshwari S, Kumar R, Singh N (2011). Bioremediation of heavy metals in liquid media through fungi isolated from contaminated sources. Indian J. Microbiol. 51: 482-487. Junaid M, Hashmi MZ, Tang YM, Malik RN, Pei,DS (2017). Potential health risk of heavy metals in the leather manufacturing industries in Sialkot, Pakistan. Sci. Rep. 7(1): 8848. Kapahi M, Sachdeva S (2019). Bioremediation options for heavy metal pollution. J. Health Pollut. 9(24): 191203. Lebeau T, Jézéquel K, Braud A (2011). Bioaugmentation-assisted phytoextraction applied to metal-contaminated soils: state of the art and future prospects, In Microbes and Microbial Technology: Agricultural and Environmental Applications. 229-266. Leong YK, Chang JS (2020). Bioremediation of heavy metals using microalgae: Recent advances and mechanisms. Bioresour.Technol. 303: 122886. Limmer M, Burken J (2016). Phytovolatilization of organic contaminants. Environ. Sci. Technol. 50(13): 6632-6643. Ma Y, Oliveira RS, Freitas H, Zhang C (2016). Biochemical and molecular mechanisms of plant-microbe-metal interactions: relevance for phytoremediation. Front. Plant Sci. 7: 918. Manzoor M, Gul I, Ahmed I, Zeeshan M, Hashmi I, Amin BAZ, Kallerhoff J, Arshad M (2019). Metal tolerant bacteria enhanced phytoextraction of lead by two accumulator ornamental species. Chemosphere. 227: 561-569. Mueller B, Rock S, Gowswami D, Ensley D (1999). Phytoremediation decision tree. Prepared by-Interstate Technology and Regulatory Cooperation Work Group. 1-36. Nies DH (1999). Microbial heavy-metal resistance. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 51: 730-750. Nies DH, Silver S (1995). Ion efflux systems involved in bacterial metal resistances. J. Ind. 14: 186-199. Pande V, Pandey SC, Sati D, Bhatt P, Samant M (2022). Microbial interventions in bioremediation of heavy metal contaminants in agroecosystem. Front. Microbiol. 13: 824084. Pandey VC, Bajpai O (2019). Phytoremediation: from theory toward practice, In Phytomanagement of polluted sites. 1-49. Robinson BH, Leblanc M, Petit D, Brooks RR, Kirkman JH, Gregg PE (1998). The potential of Thlaspi caerulescens for phytoremediation of contaminated soils. Plant Soil. 203: 47-56. Romantschuk M, Lahti-Leikas K, Kontro M, Allen JA, Sinkkonen A (2023). Bioremediation of contaminated soil and groundwater by in situ Front. Microbiol. 14: 1258148. Sabreena, Hassan S, Bhat SA, Kumar V, Ganai BA, Ameen F (2022). Phytoremediation of heavy metals: An indispensable contrivance in green remediation technology. Plants. 11(9): 1255. Saha L, Tiwari J, Bauddh K, Ma Y (2021). Recent developments in microbe–plant-based bioremediation for tackling heavy metal-polluted soils. Front. Microbiol. 12: 731723. Sharma I. (2020). Bioremediation techniques for polluted environment: concept, advantages, limitations, and prospects, In Trace metals in the environment-new approaches and recent advances. IntechOpen. Sharma JK, Kumar N, Singh NP, Santal, AR (2023). Phytoremediation technologies and their mechanism for removal of heavy metal from contaminated soil: An approach for a sustainable environment. Front. Plant Sci. 14: 1076876. Shen X, Dai M, Yang J, Sun L, Tan X, Peng C, Ali I, and Naz I (2022). A critical review on the phytoremediation of heavy metals from environment: Performance and challenges. Chemosphere. 291: 132979. Silver S (2011). BioMetals: a historical and personal perspective. Biometals. 24(3): 379-390. Silver S, Phung LT (2005). A bacterial view of the periodic table: genes and proteins for toxic inorganic ions. J. Ind. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 32: 587-605. Singh N, Santal AR (2015). Phytoremediation of heavy metals: the use of green approaches to clean the environment, In Phytoremediation: Management of Environmental Contaminants. Volume 2: 115-129. Strong PJ, Burgess JE (2008). Treatment methods for wine-related and distillery wastewaters: a review. Bioremediation J. 12(2): 70-87. Syranidou E, Christofilopoulos S, Gkavrou G, Thijs S, Weyens N, Vangronsveld J, Kalogerakis N (2016). Exploitation of endophytic bacteria to enhance the phytoremediation potential of the wetland helophyte Juncus acutus. Front. Microbiol. 7: 1016. Umrania VV (2006). Bioremediation of toxic heavy metals using acidothermophilic autotrophes. Bioresour. Technol. 97(10): 1237-1242. Valls M, De Lorenzo V (2002). Exploiting the genetic and biochemical capacities of bacteria for the remediation of heavy metal pollution. FEMS Microbiol. Rev. 26(4): 327-338. Verma P, George K, Singh H, Singh S, Juwarkar A, Singh R (2006). Modeling rhizofiltration: heavy-metal uptake by plant roots. Environ. Model. Assess. 11: 387-394. Wu Y, Li Z, Yang Y, Purchase D, Lu Y, Dai Z (2021). Extracellular polymeric substances facilitate the adsorption and migration of Cu2+ and Cd2+ in saturated porous media. Biomolecules. 11(11): 1715. Wuana RA, Okieimen FE (2011). Heavy metals in contaminated soils: a review of sources, chemistry, risks and best available strategies for remediation. International Scholarly Research Notices. Yan A, Wang Y, Tan SN, Mohd Yusof ML, Ghosh S, Chen Z (2020). Phytoremediation: a promising approach for revegetation of heavy metal-polluted land. Front. Plant Sci. 11: 359. Zhang Y, Hu J, Bai J, Wang J, Yin R, Wang J, and Lin X (2018). Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi alleviate the heavy metal toxicity on sunflower (Helianthus annuus) plants cultivated on a heavily contaminated field soil at a WEEE-recycling site. Sci. Total Environ. 628: 282-290.