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Role of Genetically Modified Microorganisms for Effective Elimination of Heavy Metals

Summary

Heavy metals like lead, mercury, and arsenic are dangerous pollutants that accumulate in our environment and food chain, causing serious health problems. Traditional methods to remove these metals are expensive and inefficient. Scientists have created genetically modified bacteria and fungi that are much better at absorbing and breaking down heavy metals from contaminated water and soil, offering a cheaper and more environmentally friendly solution to clean up pollution.

Background

Heavy metals are persistent environmental pollutants causing acute toxicity and bioaccumulation in ecosystems. Conventional removal methods including adsorption, chemical precipitation, and ion exchange have proven inefficient and costly. Genetically modified microorganisms (GMMs) offer an advanced biosorption and bioaccumulation approach for heavy metal bioremediation.

Objective

To review the role of genetically modified microorganisms in effective elimination of heavy metals from contaminated soil and water systems. The study focuses on GMM development through genomics, molecular microbiology, and bioinformatics to achieve superior bioremediation capabilities compared to native microbes.

Results

GMMs with expressed genes for metal uptake (such as CrR, merA, PcPCS, phytochelatin synthase) demonstrated effective removal of chromium, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, and nickel. Both in situ and ex situ bioremediation techniques utilizing modified bacteria and fungi showed significant heavy metal reduction with lower costs and higher efficiency than conventional methods.

Conclusion

Genetically modified microorganisms represent environmentally friendly, economical, and scalable solutions for heavy metal bioremediation. GMMs with enhanced metal-binding capabilities and transporter systems provide superior alternatives to traditional chemical and physical remediation methods for restoring ecosystem health.
  • Published in:Biomed Res Int,
  • Study Type:Review,
  • Source: PMID: 39553392
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