20 - Current status, challenges and future of bioremediation

Abstract

The indiscriminate disposal and improper treatment of domestic, industrial, and agricultural wastes have severely jeopardized public health and the environment. Bioremediation has emerged as a popular option for cleaning up the contaminated aquifers and soil. It is a widely accepted alternative for cleaning up the environment especially as it promises to reach clean-up goals at a very economical rate with lesser chances of the spread of contaminants to other media. The shortfalls of the currently used groundwater and soil clean-up strategies are quite evident and are too hard to overlook. However, coalescence of the fact that it is necessary to ensure cautious handling of the microbes and their continuous monitoring at the subsurface leaves many clients hesitant to accept bioremediation as the preferred choice for waste and pollutant management. Therefore a need has arisen to look for alternative strategies to intensify the clearance of nasty compounds and bring about modifications in the existing technologies. In this chapter, we highlight current progress, modern approaches, challenges, and future prospects of bioremediation.