Microbial Remediation of Radioactive Pollutant from the Environment

The bioremediation of radioactive waste has emerged as a promising and environmentally sustainable approach to mitigate the adverse impacts of nuclear contamination on ecosystems. Microorganisms play a pivotal role in this process by facilitating the degradation, immobilization, and transformation of radioactive contaminants through various metabolic pathways. This work explores the multifaceted role of microbes in bioremediation strategies, including bioaccumulation, biomineralization, and biodegradation of radionuclides. Microbial communities, encompassing bacteria, fungi, algae, and archaea, exhibit diverse mechanisms for detoxifying radioactive waste, including enzymatic reduction, oxidation, and complexation of radionuclides. Furthermore, the interaction between microbial consortia and the physicochemical environment influences the efficiency and effectiveness of bioremediation processes. Advances in molecular biology, genomics, and metagenomics have facilitated the characterization and engineering of microbial species with enhanced capabilities for radionuclide remediation. However, challenges such as the optimization of bioremediation conditions, microbial community dynamics, and long-term monitoring remain to be addressed to achieve sustainable and cost-effective remediation of radioactive waste sites. By harnessing the inherent metabolic capabilities of microbial communities, bioremediation holds promise as a viable strategy for restoring contaminated environments and mitigating the environmental risks associated with radioactive waste disposal.