Alan Shaji, R. Kamalesh, A. Saravanan, P.R. Yaashikaa, A.S. Vickram
{"title":"A comprehensive review on bioremediation and biomonitoring of microplastics: Circular bioeconomy and future perspective","authors":"Alan Shaji, R. Kamalesh, A. Saravanan, P.R. Yaashikaa, A.S. Vickram","doi":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101479","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The rapid growth in urbanization and industrialization has led to widespread utilisation of plastics, aiding in the formation of micro- and nanoplastics (MPs/NPs). These particles persist through atmospheric, terrestrial, and aquatic ecosystems. The pervasive nature of these particles results in a serious threat to human health and the environment due to their ability to get readily absorbed into the skin, gastrointestinal system, and respiratory tract, and start accumulating in the tissues, followed by interfering with cellular functions. The current review explores the bioremediation and biomonitoring strategies for the mitigation of microplastics. Depicting from an interdisciplinary field that combines microbial ecology, environmental biotechnology and principles of circular bioeconomy, the review describes three major bioremediation strategies, such as enzymatic degradation for particular MPs, microbial degradation for diverse MP types, and phytoremediation for high-scale removal. The current review synthesizes recent studies highlighting the limitations, effectiveness, and scalability of these methods. This study also evaluates the advanced biomonitoring tools, such as biosensors, imaging and spectroscopic studies, for tracking of microplastic distribution. The key findings reveal that bioremediation is found to be a suitable alternative, with microbial consortia and engineered enzymes demonstrating promising degradation efficiency. Integrating biomonitoring with bioremediation strategies enhances the efficiency and safety of MP removal. This study underscores the significance of developing integrated, ecosystem-specific solutions by combining remediation technologies with preventive policies. The future research should focus on standardization of optimization and monitoring protocols in bioremediation for real-world applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37879,"journal":{"name":"Groundwater for Sustainable Development","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 101479"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9000,"publicationDate":"2025-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Groundwater for Sustainable Development","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352801X25000761","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"ENGINEERING, ENVIRONMENTAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
The rapid growth in urbanization and industrialization has led to widespread utilisation of plastics, aiding in the formation of micro- and nanoplastics (MPs/NPs). These particles persist through atmospheric, terrestrial, and aquatic ecosystems. The pervasive nature of these particles results in a serious threat to human health and the environment due to their ability to get readily absorbed into the skin, gastrointestinal system, and respiratory tract, and start accumulating in the tissues, followed by interfering with cellular functions. The current review explores the bioremediation and biomonitoring strategies for the mitigation of microplastics. Depicting from an interdisciplinary field that combines microbial ecology, environmental biotechnology and principles of circular bioeconomy, the review describes three major bioremediation strategies, such as enzymatic degradation for particular MPs, microbial degradation for diverse MP types, and phytoremediation for high-scale removal. The current review synthesizes recent studies highlighting the limitations, effectiveness, and scalability of these methods. This study also evaluates the advanced biomonitoring tools, such as biosensors, imaging and spectroscopic studies, for tracking of microplastic distribution. The key findings reveal that bioremediation is found to be a suitable alternative, with microbial consortia and engineered enzymes demonstrating promising degradation efficiency. Integrating biomonitoring with bioremediation strategies enhances the efficiency and safety of MP removal. This study underscores the significance of developing integrated, ecosystem-specific solutions by combining remediation technologies with preventive policies. The future research should focus on standardization of optimization and monitoring protocols in bioremediation for real-world applications.
期刊介绍:
Groundwater for Sustainable Development is directed to different stakeholders and professionals, including government and non-governmental organizations, international funding agencies, universities, public water institutions, public health and other public/private sector professionals, and other relevant institutions. It is aimed at professionals, academics and students in the fields of disciplines such as: groundwater and its connection to surface hydrology and environment, soil sciences, engineering, ecology, microbiology, atmospheric sciences, analytical chemistry, hydro-engineering, water technology, environmental ethics, economics, public health, policy, as well as social sciences, legal disciplines, or any other area connected with water issues. The objectives of this journal are to facilitate: • The improvement of effective and sustainable management of water resources across the globe. • The improvement of human access to groundwater resources in adequate quantity and good quality. • The meeting of the increasing demand for drinking and irrigation water needed for food security to contribute to a social and economically sound human development. • The creation of a global inter- and multidisciplinary platform and forum to improve our understanding of groundwater resources and to advocate their effective and sustainable management and protection against contamination. • Interdisciplinary information exchange and to stimulate scientific research in the fields of groundwater related sciences and social and health sciences required to achieve the United Nations Millennium Development Goals for sustainable development.