Chapter 26 - Remediation action on persistent organic pollutants by wonder weeds and associated microbiomes

Abstract

Coastal ecosystem has been subjected to global threats by their sensitivity to chemical and physical characteristics of polluted waters. The wastewater discharged in seawater by anthropogenic activities leads to accumulation of organic pollutants. Industrial discharge, agricultural runoff, domestic effluent, and water coming from contaminated rivers brought serious effects in aquatic and land ecosystem. Organic pollutants could be accumulating in aquatic sediments and water and via food chain it would eventually becoming a major threat to human health. Widely available conventional and physical methods are expensive and not feasible or applicable to prevent adverse effect to ecosystem. The eco-friendly approach is needed to reduce or remove this contaminant using these naturally potent organisms. They have inherent capacity to withstand and convert these hazardous compounds to less toxic and mediate their removal from ecosystem. Persistent organic pollutants are major toxic compounds found in aquatic ecosystem in water and sediments. Seaweeds and associated microbiomes play major role in remediation of these xenobiotic pollutants. Benthic microbes and algae act on accumulated organic compounds. In the present chapter, we have discussed the role of seaweeds and associated microbes in remediation of organic pollutants from aquatic ecosystem.