5th Anniversary of Environment Section—Environmental Pollution and Bioremediation

Dear Colleagues,

In recent times, the accelerated pace of urbanization and industrial growth has led to a notable upsurge in diverse forms of pollution resulting from the discharge of harmful chemicals into the surroundings. This phenomenon is driven by sectors such as manufacturing (e.g., detergent and dye production), agriculture (e.g., fertilizers and pesticides usage), mining (e.g., cyanide and sulfuric acid release) and construction (e.g., cement and metal industries). The detrimental impact of these pollutants on the well-being of plants, animals and humans is evident. Additionally, they contribute to the degradation of both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, underscoring the urgency for remedial actions.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the production of pesticides has undergone a significant transformation. Specifically, the quantity of pesticides manufactured increased from 0.2 million tons in 1950 to a staggering five million tons in 2000. Unfortunately, this escalation has brought about detrimental effects, such as the degradation of fertile land, the unintended destruction of beneficial microorganisms, avian and animal populations, and severe implications for human well-being.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has calculated that these pesticides are responsible for approximately 250,000 premature deaths annually, along with more than three million cases of poisoning requiring hospitalization. Furthermore, the adverse impacts are not limited to terrestrial environments; the devastating consequences of oil spills have profoundly disrupted both marine and terrestrial ecosystems. These events have significantly imperiled the vitality and quality of natural systems.

Over the last half-decade, an alarming estimation of 40,000 tons of oil has been released into marine ecosystems. This has occurred through various channels such as offshore mining, accidents and tanker mishaps, casting a dark shadow over these delicate ecosystems and gravely endangering their integrity and vitality.

The escalation of disposable plastic item production is causing an urgent and critical environmental concern known as plastic pollution. This surge in production has outpaced the global capacity to effectively manage and address these plastic products. The impact of plastic pollution is particularly evident in developing nations across Asia and Africa, where inadequate or absent waste collection systems exacerbate the issue. Nevertheless, even in the developed world, especially countries with limited recycling capabilities, the challenge of efficiently collecting and managing discarded plastics persists. The ubiquity of plastic waste has spurred international endeavors to formulate a worldwide agreement, facilitated by the United Nations, aimed at tackling this pervasive problem.

While traditional remediation techniques, encompassing physical and chemical methods, have been employed for an extended period to rescue the environment, their limitations and associated challenges have spurred interest in an alternative approach: bioremediation. Bioremediation harnesses the potency of living organisms such as plants and microorganisms to mitigate or alleviate the consequences of environmental contamination. Among these options, microorganisms have gained prominence due to their swift proliferation and amenability to manipulation, making them well-suited for bioremediation endeavors. A variety of bacteria, fungi and algae have been enlisted to tackle diverse environmental pollutants. This review delves into the classifications, mechanisms and factors influencing microbial bioremediation. Furthermore, it presents recommendations to promote the utilization of microorganisms as effective agents in bioremediation processes.

This Special Issue is dedicated to compiling a spectrum of insights ranging from laboratory trials to real-scale experiments involving bioremediation technologies. These technologies are examined for their effects on the quality of terrestrial and aquatic environments, as well as their influence on biodiversity. We wholeheartedly invite scientists from across the globe to contribute their original research papers, reviews and short communications that revolve around emerging or well-established bioremediation methods. This endeavor seeks to explore the mechanisms underlying these techniques, their efficacy in treatment, safeguards against further contamination and strategies to avert scenarios of pollution.

Dr. Simona Di Gregorio
Dr. Simone Becarelli
Guest Editors

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• bioaccumulation
• bioaugmentation
• bioplastic
• bioreactors biostimulation
• contaminants
• emerging pollutants
• extremophiles
• emerging microbial strain
• in and ex situ
• marine environment
• microbiome
• mycoremediation
• phytoremediation
• plastic