en |
Natural carriers in bioremediation: A review
Dzionek, Anna; Wojcieszyńska, Danuta & Guzik, Urszula
Abstract
Bioremediation of contaminated groundwater or soil is currently the cheapest and the least harmful method of
removing xenobiotics from the environment. Immobilization of microorganisms capable of degrading specific
contaminants significantly promotes bioremediation processes, reduces their costs, and also allows for the
multiple use of biocatalysts. Among the developed methods of immobilization, adsorption on the surface is the
most common method in bioremediation, due to the simplicity of the procedure and its non-toxicity. The
choice of carrier is an essential element for successful bioremediation. It is also important to consider the type
of process (in situ or ex situ), type of pollution, and properties of immobilized microorganisms. For these
reasons, the article summarizes recent scientific reports about the use of natural carriers in bioremediation,
including efficiency, the impact of the carrier on microorganisms and contamination, and the nature of the
conducted research.
Keywords
Adsorption; Bioethanol production; Contamination; Heavy metals; Immobilization; Immobilized microorganisms; Natural carriers; Wine alterations; Wood barrels; Xenobiotics
|