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The microbial strategies for the management of chemical pesticides: A comprehensive review

Summary

Chemical pesticides used to protect crops contaminate soil and water, harming both ecosystems and human health. Scientists have discovered that specific microorganisms—bacteria, fungi, and algae—can naturally break down these harmful pesticides into harmless substances. By using advanced technologies to understand how these microbes work and even genetically enhancing them, researchers are developing sustainable solutions to clean up pesticide-contaminated environments without the toxic side effects of traditional cleanup methods.

Background

Chemical pesticides are widely used for crop protection but pose serious risks to human health and environmental sustainability. Pesticide contamination affects soil and aquatic ecosystems, with only about 5% reaching target sites while the remainder leaches into soil and water. Traditional remediation approaches have limitations including high costs and generation of toxic residues.

Objective

This review comprehensively examines microbial strategies for pesticide degradation and detoxification. It integrates omics technologies, gene editing, and artificial intelligence to optimize microbial bioremediation and identify key mechanisms involved in pesticide breakdown.

Results

Multiple microbial species demonstrated significant pesticide degradation efficacy: Chlorella vulgaris removed 93.12% of cypermethrin, Bacillus strains achieved up to 100% degradation of various pesticides, and fungal species like Trametes versicolor degraded pesticides with >90% efficiency. Omics technologies revealed specific genes, enzymes, and metabolic pathways responsible for degradation.

Conclusion

Microbial-based bioremediation offers sustainable alternatives to traditional pesticide management methods. Integration of omics technologies, gene editing, and artificial intelligence significantly enhances degradation efficiency and enables prediction of optimal microbial species for specific pesticide contamination scenarios.
  • Published in:Current Research in Microbial Science,
  • Study Type:Review,
  • Source: PMID: 41439238, DOI: 10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100519
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