A Review on Nano enhanced Bioremediation of Toxic Contaminants in the Environment

Abstract

The presence of toxic contaminants in the environment poses a significant threat to ecosystems and human health. Traditional remediation methods often fall short in effectively removing these contaminants. However, the emerging field of nano enhanced bioremediation shows great promise in addressing this challenge. Nano enhanced bioremediation utilizes nanomaterials, such as nanoparticles and nanocomposites, to augment the effectiveness of bioremediation techniques. The principles underlying this approach involve the interaction between nanomaterials and contaminants, which can enhance contaminant adsorption, facilitate bioavailability, and improve microbial degradation. The unique properties of nanomaterials, including high surface area, reactivity, and selectivity, contribute to their effectiveness in removing toxic contaminants from the environment. These unique attributes of nano-particles offer immense potential for their application to clean up petroleum hydrocarbons, pesticides and metals contaminated sites. This review article provides a comprehensive overview of the application of nanotechnology in bioremediation processes to mitigate the impact of toxic contaminants. We discuss the principles, mechanisms, recent advancements, challenges, and future prospects of nano enhanced bioremediation techniques.