Case Study: “The Effectiveness of using microorganisms to remediate polluted area in the

environment”
Abstract

Pollutants have become widespread in the overall environment. This issue has prompted scientists
to work on reducing or eliminating pollution through a variety of techniques. Pollutants are known to be
scavenged by microorganisms and plants. Both have been extensively researched in terms of successfully
lowering, purifying, and eliminating toxins from the environment. However, their removal method is time-
consuming. However, recent advances in pollution abatement have proven that a combination system of
both microbes and plants may improve pollutant cleanup to an efficient level. This case study will
demonstrate the many microorganisms that can aid in the remediation of contaminated areas of the
environment, as well as their usefulness.

Introduction

Human activities have had a negative impact on the environment as a whole, including water, soil,
and air ecosystems, and this actions are changing the world owing to pollution (Hill 2020). Environmental
pollution is having a bigger global impact as industrialization and urbanization increases. However, several
studies are being undertaken to eliminate the negative consequences of pollution. Some academics
believe that the biological technique is the greatest option for addressing this worldwide issue. Biological
approaches include microbial bioremediation, enzymatic remediation, Verm remediation,
phytoremediation, and zoo remediation. Microorganisms may be able to remove pollutants on their own
to some extent.
Findings

Nutrient removal from surface water is gaining popularity since eutrophicated water may create
serious environmental problems and even endanger human health (Jiang et al. 2019). Plant-microbe
interactions are widespread in aquatic systems, particularly on rhizoplanes (Srivastava et al. 2017), and
can be exploited to remove excess nutrients/pollutants via dual potential possibilities. Table 1 shows how
a combination of microbes and plants might improve the removal of various contaminants from water.

Soil is the ultimate sink for all toxins that have gone unnoticed, resulting in deterioration of its
quality in many places throughout the world (Sakshi et al. 2019). Plant-microbe interactions have the
potential to be a low-cost biotechnological solution for regulating soil contaminated with persistent
organic pollutants (POPs) (Sarma et al. 2019). Microorganisms interacting with plants can aid in the
resolution of soil-related concerns such as salinity, fertility, degradation, and habitat loss (Pandey et al.
2019). Several effective attempts have been made to remove pollutants from soil utilizing a
microorganism-plant combination. Table 2 reveals how a mix of bacteria and plants might increase soil
pollutant clearance.

Air pollution is a significant contributor to pulmonary disorders such as asthma, chronic

obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and respiratory infections in vulnerable populations such as
children, the elderly, and those with low socioeconomic status, affecting nine out of ten people worldwide
(Kurt et al. 2016). The combination plant-microorganism system can clean both indoor and outdoor air
systems, eliminating harmful pollutants (O3, PM10, NO2, SO2, and CO). This may be accomplished by
selecting suitable plant species and microbial communities to remove pollutants as effectively as feasible
(Irga et al., 2020). Table 3 demonstrates how the combination of microorganisms and plants increased the
removal of numerous pollutants from the environment.
 Discussion

This is a major concern because an average person inhales 6-10 L of air per minute, amounting to
15,000 l/day (Gawroska and Bakera 2015). The majority of fatalities in India and many other Asian nations
are caused by inhaling dirty air. Many people have demonstrated the scientific solution. According to
Nowak et al. (2014), trees and forests in the United States cleared 17.4 million tons of air pollutants in
2014. According to recent research by Franzetti et al. 2020, plant microorganisms can eliminate
contaminants from urban air. I believe that it should be made available on the market so that the
government, non-governmental groups, environmentalists, and the general public may all engage in
pollution remediation/management both indoors and outdoors.
Conclusions

Rapid economic growth in countries throughout the world, along with increased human activity
on plants, resulted in the release of several persistent toxins into the water, soil, and air. The concentration
of these harmful substances is presently beyond the acceptable limit, resulting in a range of serious health
effects in humans and other species.
The efficiency of biological techniques for removing pollutants from polluted areas is heavily
reliant on the interaction of appropriate bacteria and plants. According to the studies mentioned above,
microorganisms' ability to tolerate high concentrations of several recalcitrant pollutants, as well as their
ability to colonize plant roots and their presence in the phyllosphere, make them excellent candidates for
bioremediation of almost all types of pollutants present in water, soil, and air. These organisms have the
potential to be used to clean up contaminants in the industrial sector. Pollutant removal by a mixed system
of microbes and plants has various advantages over typical pollution treatment methods.

Recommendations

Future researchers, particularly those in the biology business, should endeavor to learn more
about the impacts of microbes on environmental contamination. According to the studies that I have read,
it is effective and has a hopeful outcome. As a result, I urge that more of this sort of study be conducted.
Appendices

Table 1

Table 2
 Table 3

References

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