Microbial Remediation: A Natural Approach for Environmental Pollution Management

Abstract

The humans are leading a good life due to industrialization by utilizing the available natural resources such as fossil fuels, water, etc. The development of many new chemicals such as fertilizers helped to increase the food production; pesticides and herbicides in reducing the diseases, pests, and weeds in agriculture; and antibiotics in improving the life span of humans. At the same time, the wastes that are generated due to industrialization have led to environmental pollution (air, water, and soil pollution). The degradation of the pollutants is considered as a major task in reducing the environmental pollution. Microbial remediation is an alternative, natural, and cost-effective method of bioremediation for mitigating the environmental pollution. Bioremediation is a process of utilizing the live microorganisms (microbial remediation) and plants (phytoremediation) which degrade/convert the toxic pollutants into non-toxic compounds. This chapter reviews the microbial remediation, i.e., degradation of environmental pollutants by microorganisms, and mechanism and advantages of microbial remediation.