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A Review of Advances in Bioremediation of Heavy Metals by
Microbes and Plants
Prity Kushwaha1* and Prem Lal Kashyap2
1AMITY Institute of Biotechnology, AMITY University Lucknow Campus-226028, Uttar Pradesh, India
2ICAR- Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research (IIWBR), Karnal-132001, Haryana, India
*Corresponding author E-mail: prityforbiotech@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
Environmental pollution of heavy metals, either from anthropogenic sources or
natural disasters, adversely affects the natural ecosystems. Accumulation of heavy
metals include nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co) and chromium (Cr) in agricultural soils,
irrigation waters, and drinking water. It has become a serious threat to the
worldwide food security as well as human and animal health. Although some
conventional methods are being used but most of them are neither cost-effective
nor up to mark in efficiency. Recently, there has been increased interest in the use
of microbes associated with legume plants for bioremediation of heavy metals.
These microorganisms have developed various strategies for their survival in heavy
metal-polluted habitats, and are known to develop and adopt different detoxifying
mechanisms such as biosorption, bioaccumulation, biotransformation and
biomineralization. Along with the microorganisms, plant based remediation
strategy, phytoremediation, has also proved itself to be an important strategy for
the removal of the heavy metal from the environment where living part can be
considered as a solar-driven pump, which can extract toxic elements from the
contaminated soil. This review discusses the heavy metal toxicity issues, metal-
microbes interactions, and mechanisms used by plants for remediation of these
pollutants. Additionally, emphasis has been on a newer approach of fusion of
traditional microbiology, biochemistry, ecology and genetic engineering as a
promising and sustainable solution for removal of heavy metals from the
environment.
Keywords: Biomineralization, heavy metals, metal-microbes interaction, soil
pollution, sustainable agriculture.
INTRODUCTION
Elevated levels of heavy metals not only decrease
soil microbial activity and crop production, but also
threaten human health through the food chain (Rai
et al., 2019, Mclaughlin et al., 1999). Recently, there
has been increasing interest in the use of legume
plants associated with microorganisms for
bioremediation of heavy metals (Lebraziand Fikri-
Benbrahim, 2018; Carrasco et al., 2005). Heavy
metals are important pollutants, derived from both
direct sources such as sludge dumping, industrial
effluents and mine trailings, and indirectly through
highway runoffs. As a result, great interest in metal-
microbe interactions has arisen in recent years to
researchers and industrialists, who seek to remove,
recover or stabilize heavy metals in soils and effluents
(Dhaliwal et al., 2020, Sani et al., 2001). Heavy metals
are considered to be chemical elements with an
atomic mass greater than 22 and a density greater
than 5g /mL (Jaishankar et al., 2014). This definition
includes 69 elements, of which 16 are synthetic
(Amany et al., 2015). Some of these elements are
extremely toxic to human beings, even at very low
concentrations (Wang and Chen, 2006, Roane and
Pepper, 2001). Metals are predominantly present as
cationic species and metalloids are predominantly
present as anionic species (Gomathy and
Sabarinathan, 2010).
Received : April 6, 2021
Revised : May 26, 2021
Accepted : May 29, 2021
Published : June 30, 2021
Journal of Natural Resource Conservation and Management
Vol. 2, No. 1, pp 65-80, 2021
doi: 10.51396/ANRCM.2.1.2021.65-80
66 Kushwaha and Kashyap/ J. Nat. Res. Cons. Manag. / 2(1), 65-80, 2021
Some of the negative impacts of heavy metals
on plants include decrease of seed germination and
lipid content by cadmium, decreased enzyme activity
and plant growth by chromium, the inhibition of
photosynthesis by copper and mercury, the reduction
of seed germination by nickel and the reduction of
chlorophyll production and plant growth by lead
(Singh et al., 2020, Nagajyoti et al., 2010, Gardea-
Torresdey et al.,2005). Much research has been
conducted on heavy metal contamination in soils
from various anthropogenic sources as industrial
wastes (Vareda et al., 2019, Tyagi et al., 2001),
automobile emissions (Lawal et al., 2015, Mudakavi
et al., 1997), mining activities (Kapustaand Sobczyk,
2015, Eisler et al., 2000), and agricultural practices
(Colbourn et al., 1978). In recent times, the
anthropogenic activities, like mining, ore refining,
combustion of fossil fuels, metal-working industries,
battery manufacturing, paints, preservatives,
insecticides and fertilizers have led to the emission
of heavy metals and moreover, their accumulation
further led to serious environment contamination
issues. The problems associated with contaminated
sites now assume increasing prominence throughout
the globe because of blooming industrial activity
and improper disposal of hazardous substances
(Kovacs and Szemmelveisz, 2017). Contaminated
land is a potential threat to human health, and its
continual discovery over recent years has led to
international efforts to remedy many of the sites,
either as a response to the risk of adverse health or
environmental effects caused by contamination or
to enable the site to be redeveloped for new use
(Maheshwari et al., 2014, Damodaran and Suresh,
2011). In this context, bioremediation process is
reported to be an important strategy for the removal
of the heavy metal from the environment, where
living part can be considered as a solar-driven pump,
which can extract toxic elements from the
contaminated soil (Caracciolo and Terenzi, 2021,
Ojuederie and Babalola, 2017). Briefly, the present
article offers an overview and discusses the heavy
metal toxicity, metal-microbes interactions, and
mechanisms used by plants and microbes for
remediation of heavy metals pollutants. In this
article, emphasizes has also been made on the
modern approach of fusion of traditional
microbiology, biochemistry, ecology and genetic
engineering as a promising solution for removal of
heavy metals from the environment.
The Concept of Bioremediation
Bioremediation is an innovative and promising
technology available for removal of heavy metals
and recovery of the heavy metals in polluted water
and lands (Choudhary et al., 2017). Since
microorganisms have developed various strategies
for their survival in heavy metal polluted habitats,
these organisms are known to develop and adopt
different detoxifying mechanisms such as
biosorption, bioaccumulation, biotransformation
and biomineralization (Mandragutti et al., 2021).
Bioremediation is a general concept that includes all
those processes and actions that take place in order
to biotransform an environment, already altered by
contaminants, to its original status (Girma, 2015,
Adhikari et al., 2004). Microorganisms or microbial
processes help to degrade and transform
environmental contaminants into harmless or less
toxic forms (Garbisu and Alkorta, 2003). Generally,
microorganisms or their enzymes are used in the
bioremediation process to break down and thereby
detoxify dangerous chemicals in the environment
(Obayori et al., 2009). Besides this, it also plays
important role in making the environment clean
from pollutants and contamination (Arun et al.,
2014).
Bioremediation is a cost-effective and eco-
friendly mean of healing nature with nature. This
technology may be applied in the removal of
xenobiotic compounds from agrochemical and
petrochemical industries, oil spills, heavy metals in
sewage, sludge and marine sediments (Vyas and
Waoo, 2020). Some microorganisms that live in soil
and groundwater naturally use certain chemicals that
are harmful to people and the environment. Many
algae and bacteria produce secretions that attract
metals that are toxic in high levels (Priyadarshini et
al., 2019). Degradation of dyes is also brought about
by some anaerobic bacteria and fungi (Shi et al.,
2021, Colberg, 1995). A general process used in the
bioremediation of contaminants by microbial action
has been illustrated in Fig. 1.
Bioremediation techniques can also be divided
into two categories – in-situ and ex-situ
bioremediation (Azubuike et al., 2016). In-situ
technique involves treatment of soil and associated
ground water in its original place without displacing
the material. This bioremediation approach deals
with stimulation of indigenous or naturally occurring
microbial populations by feeding them nutrients and
Bioremediation of heavy metals / J. Nat. Res. Cons. Manag. / 2(1), 65-80, 2021 67
oxygen to increase their metabolic activity, whereas
engineered bioremediation approach involves the
introduction of certain microorganisms to the site of
contamination. In the ex-situ process, excavation of
the entire contaminated material is needed for
treatment at some other treatment place where the
activity of microbes and other parameters can be
control.
Bioremediation of Heavy Metal by Microbes
Microbial bioremediation of heavy metals is an
effective, economical and eco-friendly technology to
reduce industrial exploitations of chemical methods
of bioremediation and to achieve pollution free
environment (Verma and Kuila, 2019). Table 1
describes the principal studied microorganisms for
the bioremediation of heavy metals. Microorganisms
exert their heavy metal detoxification process by
valence transformation, extracellular chemical
precipitation, and volatilization (Banik et al., 2014).
Few heavy metals can also be detoxified during
metabolic processes of microbes by enzymatic
reduction (Lovley, 1993).
Microorganisms interact with different heavy
metals by employing different processes. Resistance
to metal is the main mechanism of heavy metal
remediation (Fakhar et al., 2020). Biosorption is the
most important process in both ecological and
practical terms. Extracellular materials immobilize
the metal through the binding of cell surface anionic
functional groups which contain a large number of
cationic metals including, Cd, Pb, Fe, and Zn (Igiri
et al., 2018). Metal ions become bound to cell surfaces
via a range of binding mechanisms involving
electrostatic interactions, Van der Waals forces,
covalent bonding, redox interactions and
extracellular precipitation or some combination of
these processes (Crini et al., 2018). Bacteria are
excellent biosorbents due to their high surface-to-
volume ratios and a good number of potentially
active chemosorption sites e.g. teichoic acid in the
bacterial cell wall (Ayangbenro and Babalola, 2017).
Another mechanism of microbial heavy metal
remediationis mediated by siderophore formation
(Mosa et al., 2016). Metals other than iron can
activate the production of siderophores by bacteria,
thereby implicating siderophores in the homeostasis
of metals other than iron and especially heavy metal
tolerance. Broadly, microorganism can trap heavy
metal ions and subsequently sorb them onto the
binding sites of the cell wall by biosorption or passive
Figure 1. An illustration of the general process used in the bioremediation of contaminants by microbial action
68 Kushwaha and Kashyap/ J. Nat. Res. Cons. Manag. / 2(1), 65-80, 2021
Table 1. Examples of microorganisms studied and strategically treated for bioremediation of heavy metals
Organisms Genus/species Reference(s)
Bacteria Agrobacterium, Bacillus, Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Microbacterium, Pseudomonas, González-Henao et al.,
Rhodococcus, and Mesorhizobium 2021
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella edwardsii and Enterobacter cloacae Oziegbe et al., 2021
Ochrobactrum pseudintermedium Sengupta et al., 2021
lavobacterium, Pseudomonas, Bacillus, Arthrobacter, Corynebacterium, Methosinus, Verma and Kuila, 2019
Rhodococcus, Mycobacterium, Stereum hirsutum, Nocardia, Methanogens, Aspergilus
niger, Pleurotus ostreatus, Rhizopus arrhizus, Azotobacter, Alcaligenes, Phormidium
valderium and Ganoderma applantu
Lactobacillus plantarum Ameen et al., 2020
Chelatococcus daeguensi Li et al., 2016
Planococcus sp. Subramanian et al., 2014
Arthrobacter Dias et al., 2002
Kim et al., 2007
Enterobacter cloacae Dias et al., 2002,
Zhang et al., 2005
Pseudomonas aeruginosa Dias et al., 2002
Archea Filo Crenarchaeota Sandaa et al., 1999
Phanerochaete chrysosporium Wu and Yu, 2007
Fungi Cladosporium sp., Didymella glomerata, Fusarium oxysporum, Phoma costaricensis, Vãcar et al., 2021
and Sarocladium kiliense
Aspergillus niger Iram et al., 2015
Aspergillus tereus Kumar et al., 2008
Penicillium chrysogenum Dias et al., 2002
Yeast Candida utilis Kujan et al., 2006
Hansenula anomala Breierová et al., 2002
Rhodotorula mucilaginosa Dias et al., 2002
Rhodotorula rubra Ghosh et al., 2006
Saccharomyces cerevisiae Dias et al., 2002,
Ghosh et al., 2006
Algae Saccharina japonica and Sargassum fusiforme Poo et al., 2018
Chlamydomonas reinhardtii He et al., 2011
Spirogyra sp. and Spirullina Mane and Bhosle, 2012
uptake process which is independent of the metabolic
cycle. The amount of metal sorbed depends on the
kinetic equilibrium and composition of the metal at
the cellular surface. The mechanism involves
multiple processes, including ion exchange,
electrostatic interaction, precipitation, the redox
process, and surface complexation as depicted in
Fig. 2.
Phytoremediation
Research progress made in recent years identified
phytoremediation as one of the most viable and
prospective solution to the problem of contamination
(Yan et al., 2020). Several studies have been carried
out for the removal of the heavy metals from the
contaminated soils by using phytoremediation
strategies (Table 2). It is important to mention here
that phytoremediation is based on the fact that living
part can be considered as a solar-driven pump, which
can extract toxic elements form the contaminated
soil (Raskin et al., 1997). There are five different
types of major processes involved in the
phytoremediation and include: i) phytoextraction,
ii) rhizofiltration, iii) phytovolatization, iv)
phytodegradation, and v) phytostabilization. A
Schematic sketch of different phytoremediation
technologies involving removal and containment of
contaminants have been illustrated in Fig. 3.
Phytoextraction
Phytoextraction is the use of plants to extract
and remove heavy metals from soil (Suman et al.,
2018). In this process, plants uptake the
contaminants by roots and accumulate in the aerial
parts or shoots of the plant and finally, they are
harvested and disposed-off (Vishnoi and Srivastava,
2007). At present, three different strategies have been
documented for heavy metals phytoextraction which
Bioremediation of heavy metals / J. Nat. Res. Cons. Manag. / 2(1), 65-80, 2021 69
Table 2. Plants used for phytoremediation of heavy metal contamination
Plant used Contaminants References
Acalypha alopecuroidea, Achyranthes aspera, Amaranthusdubius, Pb, Zn, and Cr Ramírez et al., 2021
Bidens pilosa, Heliotropium angiospermum, Parthenium
hysterophorus, and Sida rhombifolia
Boehmeria nivea, Chrysanthemum indicum and Miscanthus floridulus Cr, Cd, Ni, and Cu Wu et al., 2021
Dysphania botrys, Lotus corniculatus, Lotus hispidus, Plantago As and Pb Afif et al., 2021
lanceolata, Trifolium repens and Medicago lupulina
Allium sativum Cd and Pb Hussain et al., 2021
Hibiscus cannabinus L and Linum usitatissimum L Cr, Co, Cd, and Mn Shehata et al., 2019
Zea mays L. Cd, Pb, Zn and Cu Tiecher et al., 2016
Trifolium alexandrinum Cd, Pb, Cu, and Zn Ali et al., 2012
Tithonia diversifolia and Helianthus annuus Pb and Zn Adesodun et al., 2010
Thlaspi caerulescens Zn, Cd, and Ni Assunção et al., 2003
Pteris cretica cv Mayii (Moonlight fern) and Pteris vittata As Baldwin and Butcher,
(Chinese brake fern) 2007
Alyssum and Thlaspi Ni Bani et al., 2010
Aspalathus linearis (Rooibos tea) Al Kanu Sheku et al., 2013
Helianthus annuus (sunflower) Zn and Cd Marques et al., 2013
Pelargonium roseum Ni, Cd and Pb Mahdieh et al., 2013
Brassica napus and Raphanus Sativus Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn Marchiol et al., 2004
Thlaspi caerulescens Cd and Zn Perronnet et al., 2003
Pteris vittate As Ma et al., 2001,
Tu et al., 2002
Solanum nigrum Cd Chen et al., 2014
Figure 2. Mechanisms of heavy metal uptake by microorganisms
70 Kushwaha and Kashyap/ J. Nat. Res. Cons. Manag. / 2(1), 65-80, 2021
Figure 3. The processes exploited in the phytoremediation
differ in the type of plant species used. These
includes: (i) natural hyperaccumulators, (ii) fast-
growing plant species with high-biomass production,
and (iii) genetically engineered plants. The major
merits and demerits of these strategies are described
in Table 3.
Rhizofiltration
Rhizofiltration is a type of phytoremediation
that refers to the process of adsorption onto plant
roots or absorption into plant roots of contaminants
that are in solution surrounding the root zone with
an aim to make that zone pollution free (Krishna et
al., 2012). However, during the rhizofiltration,
contaminants are to be taken up and translocated
into other portions of the plant by the roots depends
on the contaminant, its concentration, and the plant
species (Shukla et al., 2013). Basically, this
mechanism is supported by the synthesis of certain
chemicals within the roots, which cause heavy
metals to rise in plant body. In simple words, it
employs aquatic plants as a biofilter, which assist in
in sequestering metals from polluted water source.
The major merit of rhizofiltration lies in that fact
that it helps in the reduction of the mobility of
contaminant and prevents migration to the
groundwater and thus reduces the bioavailability for
entry into the food chain. Ignatius et al. (2014) used
this rhizofiltration technique to remove lead from
the soil or water by using Plectranthus amboinicus (an
aromatic medicinal plant) cultured in a hydroponic
nutrient film have been successfully demonstrated
by Ignatius et al. (2014). Further they were also
successful in concluding that the plant can be
considered for the clean-up of lead-contaminated
wastewater in combination with safe biomass
disposal alternatives. On parallel lines,
bioaccumulation and rhizofiltration potential of
Pistia stratiotes for mitigating heavy metals (Fe, Mn,
Cr, Pb, Cu, Zn, Ni, Co and Cd) toxicity in the
Egyptian wetlands have been revealed by Galal et al.
(2018).
Phytovolatization
Phytovolatization strategy involve the use of
plants to uptake the contaminants from the soil and
transforming them into volatile form and released
into the atmosphere through transpiration (Ghosh
and Singh, 2005). Plants take up organic and
inorganic contaminants with water and pass on to
Bioremediation of heavy metals / J. Nat. Res. Cons. Manag. / 2(1), 65-80, 2021 71
Table 3. Major merits and demerits of different phytoextraction strategies for heavy metals removal (Modified after Suman
et al., 2018)
Strategy Merits Demerits
Natural hyperaccumulators 1. High bioaccumulation rates 1. High metal specificity (often only single
2. Sometimes autochtonic species– heavy metal element hyperaccumulated)
helps to prevent the introduction 2. Often slowly growing, low-biomass
of non-native and potential invasive producing species, with specific ecology
species and requirements in terms of climate, soil
characteristics and water regime, etc.
High-biomass producing 1. High biomass production rate 1. Low bioaccumulation rates
non-hyperaccumulators 2. Possibility of production of biomass 2. Lengthy phytoextraction process
with added value
3. Low growth requirements
4. Possible use in short-rotation plantation
number of species convenient for
diverse range of climatic conditions,
water regime, soil type, character of
contamination
5. Often autochthonic species–prevents
the introduction of non-native and
potentially invasive species
6. Usually low metal/toxicant specificity–
applicability for mixed contamination
(both multiple heavy metals and mixture
of heavy metals and organic xenobiotics)
Genetically engineered 1. Directed engineering of metallo- 1. Often high metal specificity depending
plant phenotype toward high bioconcentration on (trans)gene/genetic modification
factor 2. Lack of information from field trials
2. Number of (trans)genes available for performed on large areas in terms of
modification overall applicability (economical aspects,
3. Avenues for organ/tissue-specific efficiency of the process, management of
transgene expression enabling heavy metal enriched biomass
modulation of resultant phenotype produced) GMO-linked environmental
4. Possible stacking of multiple risks and related strict GMO regulation
phenotypical traits policy, thorough ecological risk
5. Possibility of selection of host plant assessment needed
species (depending on the intended fate
or use of resulting heavy metal-enriched
biomass)
the leaves and volatilize into the atmosphere
(Mueller et al., 1999). Phytovolatilization has been
done by using plant– microbe interactions for the
volatilization of Se from soils (Karlson and
Frankenberger, 1989). Recently, Galal et al. (2020)
reported the potential of phytostabilization as a
phytoremediation strategy for removing trace metals
(Cd, Cu, Ni, Zn and Pb) from contaminated water
bodies by the floating Ludwigia stolonifera.
Phytodegradation
Phytodegradation refers to the uptake and
degradation of contaminants within the plant, or the
degradation of contaminants in the soil, ground
water, or surface water by enzymes. This process
involves the use of plants with associated
microorganisms to degrade organic pollutants, such
as 2,4,6- trinitrotoluene (TNT) and polychlorinated
biphenyls, herbicides, and pesticides so that they
can be converted from toxic form to nontoxic form
(Lee, 2013, Kukreja and Goutam, 2013). Some
enzymes such as dehalogenase, peroxidase,
nitroreductase, laccase, and nitrilase produced by
the plants also help in degradation of pollutants
(Gupta et al., 2021, Morikawa and Erkin, 2003,
Boyajian and Carreira,1997, Schnoor et al., 1995).
Phytostabilization
Phytostabilization is the process in which plants
immobilize the contaminants in the soil or ground
72 Kushwaha and Kashyap/ J. Nat. Res. Cons. Manag. / 2(1), 65-80, 2021
water using absorption, adsorption onto the surface
of the roots, or by the formation of insoluble
compounds (Radziemska et al., 2017). This process
reduces the mobility of contaminants and ultimately
prevents their migration into the groundwater or
into the air (Soudek et al., 2012). Usually, this
technique is relied on the chemical stabilization of
heavy metals using various non-organic and / or
organic soil additives in connection with adequately
chosen plant species. Species which will be resistant
to specific conditions present in the soil, such as low
pH and high concentrations of heavy metals, ought
to be selected. Moreover, they should not accumulate
heavy metals in their above-ground parts, thus
preventing their further passage to subsequent
elements of the food chain, and should be
characterized by a fast increase in biomass, ensuring
good coverage of the area in a short period of time.
It is important to mention here that the major
advantage of phytostablisation is its effective rapid
immobilization and no need for biomass disposal.
Earlier published literature clearly highlighted the
potential of phytostabilisation for the treatment of
Pb, As, Cd, Cr, Cu and Zn contaminated soils
(Yadav et al., 2018). Various species of grass, such as
red fescue (Festuca rubra) are the most useful in the
process of the aided phytostabilization of heavy
metals in soils (Touceda-González et al., 2017).
Effective phytostabilization of heavy metals
especially Ni and Cr was also observed in the roots
of Nerium oleander (Elloumi et al., 2017). More
recently, Zgorelec et al. (2020) performed study to
determine the effects of cadmium and mercury on
the growth, biomass productivity and
phytoremediation potential of Miscanthus × giganteus
grown on contaminated soil and reported Miscanthus
× giganteus as a potential candidate for the
phytostabilization and biomass production on soils
contaminated with Cd and Hg.
Genetically Modified Microorganism in
Bioremediation
Genetic engineering is a modern technology,
which allows designing microorganisms capable of
degrading specific contaminants. The most often
used techniques include engineering with single
genes or operons, pathway construction and
alternations of the sequences of existing genes. The
fusion of traditional microbiology, biochemistry,
ecology and genetic engineering is a very promising
solution for in situ bioremediation. The examples of
selected genetically modified microorganisms
(GMMs) degrading toxic organic compounds are
presented in Table 4.
The genetic engineered Pseudomonas fluorescens
HK44 was the first strain used for long-term
bioremediation of naphthalene contaminated soil.
The other genetically modified strain P. putida
KT2442 (pNF142::TnMod-OTc) able to degrade
naphthalene in soil was constructed by (Filonov et
al.,2005). Enhanced Accumulation of Cd2+ by a
Mesorhizobium sp. transformed with a gene from
Arabidopsis thaliana coding for phytochelatin
synthase. Further, they also explained that such
engineered cells will be useful for the development
of a novel plant-bacterium remediation system for
the removal of heavy metals from rice fields when
genetically engineered M. huakuii subsp. rengei strain
B3 establishes a symbiotic relationship with A.
sinicus. Later, genetically engineered Alcaligenes
eutrophus AE104 (pEBZ141) was also used for
chromium removal from industrial wastewater
(Srivastava et al., 2010). Besides this, recombinant
photosynthetic bacterium, Rhodopseudomonas
palustris, was constructed to simultaneously express
mercury transport system and metallothionein for
Hg2+ removal from heavy metal wastewater (Xu and
Pei 2011). The construction of naphthalene
degrading endophytic bacteria Pseudomonas putida
VM1441 (pNAH7) was also described by Germaine
et al. (2009). They reported that endophytic strain
could protect pea plants from the toxic effects of
naphthalene. Corynebacterium glutamicum has been
employed as an As biocontainer and genetically
modified using overexpression of ars operons (ars1
and ars2) to sanitize As-contaminated sites (Mateos
et al., 2017). In similar fashion, engineered
Chlamydomonas reinhardtii reported to yield a
significant increase in tolerance to Cd toxicity and
its accumulation, when CrMTP4 gene coding metal
tolerance protein (MTP) that is responsible for Cd
tolerance and uptake, was overexpressed.
Genetically modified microorganisms can be applied
not only in degradation of toxic compounds but also
in promotion of plant growth. For instance, Yang et
al. (2011) designed genetically modified microbes
that could promote maize growth and degrade
phenol simultaneously. However, authors felt that it
is necessary to highlight that there is considerable
controversy surrounding the release of such
genetically engineered microorganisms into the
environment, and field testing of these organisms
Bioremediation of heavy metals / J. Nat. Res. Cons. Manag. / 2(1), 65-80, 2021 73
Table 4. Important studies related to genetically modified microorganisms (GMMs) degrading organic compounds
GMMs Introduced gene/s Organic compound Reference(s)
Escherichia coli AtzA atrazine chlorohydrolase Atrazine Strong et al., 2000
Pseudomonas fluorescens HK44 luxCDABE Naphthalene Sayler et al., 2000
Burkholderia cepacia L.S.2.4 pTOD plasmid Toluene Barac et al., 2004
Pseudomonas fluorescens operon bph,gfp Chlorinated biphenyls Boldt et al., 2004
F113rifpcbrrnBP1::gfpmut3
Pseudomonas putidaKT2442 pNF142 plasmid,gfp Naphthalene Filonov et al., 2005
(pNF142::TnMod-OTc)
Burkholderia cepaciaVM1468 pTOM-Bu61 plasmid Toluene Taghavi et al., 2005
Rhodococcus sp.RHA1(pRHD34::fcb) fcbABC operon 2(4)-Chlorobenzoate2(4)- Rodrigues et al.,
chlorobiphenyl 2006
Pseudomonas putidaPaW85 pWW0 plasmid Petroleum Jussila et al., 2007
Comamonas testosteroniSB3 pNB2::dsRed plasmid 3-chloroaniline Bathe et al., 2009
Escherichia coli JM109 (pGEX-AZR) azoreductase gene azo dyes,C.I. Direct Blue 71 Jin et al., 2009
Pseudomonas putida PaW340(pDH5)pDH5 plasmid 4-chlorobenzoic acid Massa et al., 2009
must therefore be delayed until the issues of safety
and the potential for ecological damage are resolved.
Besides this, Nanotechnology has shown its value in
the genetic modification of plants by introducing
new genes with a corresponding crop improvement
(Kashyap et al., 2015) and therefore can be harnessed
for developing genetically modified microorganism
in more precise manner in near future for
bioremediation of contaminated soil.
CONCLUSION
Heavy metal pollution is an important issue for
agricultural production and food health due to the
toxic effects and rapid accumulation of heavy metals
in the environment. To prevent or mitigate heavy
metal contamination, and to reclaim the
contaminated soil, bioremediation has been proven
to be a promising technique for revegetation of heavy
metal-polluted soils with a good public acceptance.
Bioremediation has shown a variety of advantages
compared with other physicochemical techniques.
Added to it, genetic engineering approach has also
emerged as a powerful tool to modify plants and
microbes with desired traits such as fast growth,
high biomass production, high heavy metal tolerance
and accumulation, and good adaption to various
climatic and geological conditions. Therefore, good
insight understanding of the mechanisms of heavy
metal uptake, translocation, and detoxification in
biological systems of both plant and microbe origin,
and identification and characterization of different
molecules and signaling pathway, will be of great
prominence for the design of ideal bio-remediation
tools via genetic engineering. Genes involved in
heavy metal uptake, translocation, sequestration,
and tolerance can be manipulated to improve either
heavy metal accumulation or tolerance in plants. In
addition, chelating agents and microorganisms can
be used either to enhance heavy metal
bioavailability, which enables heavy metal
accumulation in plants, or to improve soil health
and further promote plant growth and fitness. More
practically, single approach is neither possible nor
sufficient for effective clean-up of heavy metal-
polluted soils. The combination of different
approaches, including genetic engineering, microbe-
assisted and chelate-assisted approaches, and nano-
science is essential for highly effective and exhaustive
bioremediation of heavy metals in the future. More
over several other factors including suitable plant
and microbial species that influence the performance
of bioremediation outcome must be considered.
Most importantly, long term research experi-
mentation needs to be conducted to minimize this
limitation in order to apply this technique effectively.
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