Exploration of genetic information from dynamic microbial populations for enhancing the efficiency of azo-dye-degrading systems

Abstract

Dye degradation is presently an important area of scientific activity. Today, most wastewater treatment makes use of the conventional processes in the presence and action of a native microbial population. However, the potential natural microbial population and genetically engineered microorganisms (GEMs) could successfully bioaugment dye biotreatment systems to enhance efficiency. Consequently, treatment facilities are designed to maintain a high density of the desired microbial population to satisfy the bioremediation demand. Nevertheless, malefactions resulting in a decrease of activity are frequent. To better understand the function of the bacterial community, a full description of the microbial population is required. The prominent task of the microbiologist is to compare the structure, dynamics, and function of the existing microbial populations. Even though the last decade has seen a revolution in microbiology, microbial population monitoring still relies on the tools that were available at the beginning of this century. It is the goal of this review to explain the potential and importance of the newly available molecular tools for analyzing microbial populations. Molecular techniques over the last few decades have revealed an enormous reservoir of unexplained microbes. This large genetic diversity has an immense potential to be used as a resource for the development of novel biotransformations, bioremediation processes, and bioenergy generation. This paper will review bioremediation and the exploration of genetic information from microbial populations for efficiency enhancement.