Fungal Secondary Metabolites for Bioremediation of Hazardous Heavy Metals

Abstract

Bioremediation is a biological method for the conversion of the toxic, recalcitrant pollutants into their nontoxic or environmentally benign products. This is a cost-effective and environment-friendly method for waste management. Taking into consideration the robust morphology and diverse metabolic capacity of fungi, it plays a major role in bioremediation. Diverse fungal groups from different habitats have an immense potential to treat variety of toxic and recalcitrant compounds. The current chapter focuses on the crucial role of fungi in bioremediation of persistent organic pollutants, textile dyes, effluents from textile, bleached kraft pulp, leather tanning industries, petroleum, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and personal care products. Fungi-based bioremediation of toxic organics is by far the most economical, efficient, as well as sustainable and green route for cleanup of contaminated sites. In the current chapter fungal mechanism as well as different modes involved by them for detoxification of different toxic and recalcitrant compounds has been discussed followed by the role of prominent fungal enzymes, viz., catalases, laccases, peroxidases, and cytochrome P450 monooxygenases. Recent techniques of enzyme engineering and genomics have been highlighted to unravel less understood bioremediation pathways.