© 2018 IJRAR December 2018, Volume 5, Issue 4 Effectiveness of …ijrar.org/papers/IJRAR1BIP134.pdf · 2020. 6. 29. · mechanism by identifying the microbes that are resistant to

© 2018 IJRAR December 2018, Volume 5, Issue 4 www.ijrar.org (E-ISSN 2348-1269, P- ISSN 2349-5138)

IJRAR1BIP134 International Journal of Research and Analytical Reviews (IJRAR) www.ijrar.org 778

Effectiveness of Bioremediation for the removal of

toxic Heavy Metals Using Microorganisms

Bashir Ahmad Aliyu1, Nishi Nidhi1, Maryam Musa Qaraye3, Adamu Muhammad Fagge4,

Arvind Kumar1*

1Department of Biochemistry, School of Bioengineering and Bioscience,

Lovely Professional University, GT Road, Phagwara, Punjab, India-144411

2Department of Biology, School of Science Education,

Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education, Kumbotso, P.M.B 3218, Kano State, Nigeria

3Department of integrated science, School of Science Education,

Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education, Kumbotso, P.M.B 3218, Kano State, Nigeria

Abstract

Bioremediation is an effective technique used to convert toxic heavy metal ions into less harmful compounds, using

resistant microorganisms for cleaning the soil and water bodies with heavy metal contamination. Such contaminants

are released as a result of indiscriminate use of the natural recourses for human purposes which altered the

geochemical cycles and biochemical balance of the ecosystem affecting the human health and aquatic biota. This

study will focus on the development of good efficient, eco-friendly and cost-effective method for the remediation of

inorganic metals like Pb, Cr, Cd, and Hg that are released into the environment and the safeguard measures by using

recent advances in bioremediation using microbes linked to heavy metal degradation. It will emphasis the use of

bioremediation as a prospective techniques in an ecosystem due to their nature of non-biodegradability that could be

toxic to microorganisms, a specific technique for the efficient removal of contaminants to be achieved using different

mechanism by identifying the microbes that are resistant to heavy metal ions. However, this review will focused on

the use of bacteria, fungi, algae and other microbes that shows a synergic and bio-sorption capacity effect for removal

of heavy metals ions in an environment.

Key words: Bioremediation, Microorganisms, Toxicity, Heavy metal ions

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Introduction

Bioremediation is a new biological technique used for recycling wastes and reduce their toxicity into less toxic form,

microorganisms that are widely distributed on the biosphere due to their metabolic ability can easily grow in a wide

range of environmental conditions affected with heavy metals ions contaminat. The use of bioremediation as a

biotechnological process, involves the use of microorganisms to reduced environmental pollutants through

biodegradation process. The effectiveness of Bioremediation and biodegradation apply the use of microorganisms

that act as a significant pollutant removal tools in soil, water, and sediments using remediation routine

protocols. According to research by (Zakharova & Gussman, 1997), describe Bioremediation as a novel

technique used to reduced environmental contaminants from the habitat, and utilizes the biological inherent of

microbes and plants to eradicate toxic pollutants and restore the originality of environmental flora. One of the basic

principles of bioremediation technique involve reducing the solubility of environmental contaminants, by changing

the pH, redox reactions and adsorption of contaminants from polluted environment were microorganisms

are restoring the original and natural surroundings by preventing further pollution (Demnerová et al., 2005).

However, the presence of microorganisms of the environment keeps on decreasing the rate of

environmental contamination due to the anthrophogenic activities of both domestic, Agricultural and industry by

human which degrades and affect the environmental condition. The heavy metals ions contaminants that spill

out into the environment are persistent to thos, heavty metals ions and led to a severe threat to organisms that are

not resistant and exposed them to high levels enviromenal contamination. Toxic heavy metals ions such as lead,

cadmium, mercury, chromium, zinc, uranium, selenium, silver, gold, nickel and arsenic, that are not useful to

plants, are capable of reducing plant growth by photosynthetic activities as well as reducing the activity

of essential enzymes (Nematian & Kazemeini, 2013). A resaerch suggest that bioremediation is an alternative

way used to abstract a toxic contaminants from waste effluents release into the environmental by human

activities using super bug in cleaning up oil spills to decrease the toxicity of metals ions by minimising the

environmental contaminant using microcroorganisms as remediation process (Mohan & Dubey, 2013). In general

Metals are natural constituents of earth such as; Zn, Ni, Cu that are essential for living organisms, but prove

toxic to micro and macro organisms at higher concentrations of heavy metals ions. The presence of Lead, cadmium

and mercury are toxic to bacterial cells as such affect environmental flora even at low concentrations due

to their toxicity (Microbiology, Microbiology, & Avenue, 1995). Current rapid industrialization, heavy metals

have accumulated over several decades and require special attention to be treated into less toxic, wastes from

mining, metal refining industries, sewage sludge, power plant and waste incineration plants, contain high levels

of Pb, Hg and Cd which create serious detriment to environmental biota and urgently need to be removed

from environmental. As cited by (Lovley & Coatest, n.d.), microorganisms for environmental restoration have

focused primarily on microbial degradation of organic contaminants. There has been little investigation regarding

microorganisms used for remediation of heavy metal ions contamination whereby microorganisms destroy organic

effluent by oxidizing them to carbon dioxide and alter the evolutionary of metal contaminants. According to

(Jin & Luan, 2018), microorganisms can remove toxic heavy metals ions contaminants and metalloids from

contaminated water and waste streams by converting them into




volatilized form. The management of heavy metal ions in soil using microorganisms relies on therapeutic ecological

restoration methods based on adsorption and transfer process. Chemical methods usually involve direct reactions

between chemical reagents and heavy metal ions, such as chelation and redox, while chemical restoration methods

are often promoted by other methods, such as electrochemical repair (Race, 2017). Subsequently, the microorganisms

with distinctive features of catabolic potential like enzymes and bio surfactant is a novel approach to enhance and

boost efficacy of microbes in the environment. However, different alternatives may likely widen the microbiological

application towards remediating heavy metals ions contamination, the use of microbes to degrade recalcitrant heavy

metals has been explored using biofilm mediated bioremediation that can be applied for cleaning up of heavy metal

contaminated site (Igiri et al., 2018). According to (Gupta et al., 2016), heavy metal contaminants affect populace

who live near the polluted sites, and are frequently found normally in soil, sediments and water. The excessive

Breathing, eating, drinking, and skin interaction are all likely exposure routes for metal contaminants, and affect the

function of kidneys, mental capabilities, weakness, headaches, abdominal cramps and anemia due to Chronic contact

with contaminated heavy metal ions, and result in permanent kidney and brain damage (Ayu, Hadibarata, Toyama,

Tanaka, & Mori, 2011), as such metal like cadmium is tremendously toxic and was shown to denature the DNA

helical structure. The use of microorganisms for industrial sewages treatment of contaminated sites, of metal with

high concentrations in the activated sludge that execute various health problems like headache, irritability, abdominal

pain and numerous symptoms associated to the nervous system, anxiety, bladder and kidney cancer either by indirect

transfer of vital nutritional minerals from their original place, thus, affecting their biological function and accumulate

in the body, as well as affecting the organs and glands, whereby the microorganisms have altered the heavy metals

and become metal resistant.

In this review, several research in the past two decades, that shows effectiveness and modern advances in

bioremediation techniques that restore environmental contamination using an eco-friendly approach at a very low

cost, The theme have developed and bring different bioremediation techniques but due to nature there is no single

bioremediation technique that restore the contamination as at that time, but Autochthonous (indigenous)

microorganisms present in polluted environments play an important role in solving most of the challenges associated

with biodegradation and bioremediation of heavy metal ions contamination (Jaiswal, Verma, & Jaiswal, 2018), thus,

provide an effective environmental conditions suitable for their growth and metabolism, eco-friendly and cost saving

features of bioremediation compared to both chemical and physical methods of remediation (Chibueze, Chioma, &

Chikere, 2016).

Microorganisms used in bioremediation

The use of Microbes have develop diverse approaches to prevail the toxic effects of metals and metalloids, by

utilizing their accumulation, resistance or by reducing their toxicity into less toxic form through biomethylation and

transformation. The higher concentrations of heavy metals have been predictable as an environmental treat in aquatic

and environmental ecosystems all over the world. Several of these heavy metals reach ground water as a result of

unwanted human activity and other factors that accumulate in seafood and plants (Dobson & Burgess, 2007). The




heavy metals uptake by microorganisms or passively by microbial cell walls that mainly consist of polysaccharides,

lipids and proteins, provide numerous functional groups that will bind to heavy metal ions, such as carboxylate,

hydroxyl, amino and phosphate groups (Dixit et al., 2015). Moreover, various microorganisms that enhance the

methods of biosorption process seem to be more effective for large scale application compared to the

bioaccumulation process, microbes require addition of specific amount of nutrients for their lively uptake of heavy

metals ions and increases their biological oxygen demand/chemical oxygen demand in the contaminated

environment. Furthermore, the need of maintaining healthy population of microbes due to its nature of toxicity and

other environmental factors (Britain, 1998). But Fungi, Penicillium, Aspergillus and Rhizopus have been studied

extensively to serve as potential microbial agents for the removal of heavy metals in an environment. The character of

microbes and their high metabolic diversity and adaptability have high tendency to survive in the most diverse natural

and artificial environment as a result of environmental contamination and become resistant heavy metals ions.

Consequently, different microbes can be use in an ex and in situ bioremediation and reducing the toxicity of the

environment into less toxic form. However, microbes that live in an intensely competitive environment, has to

develop certain resistant device, to colonize the ecological habitat and metabolize common nutrients quickly, or use

nutrients that favour the microbes. While in non competitive environments with extreme conditions of temperature,

salinity, acidity, etc., microbes need special physiological characteristics, which provide good favorable life

condition, while Some microorganisms can use other means, such as the production of acids and antibiotics (Iranzo,

Boluda, & Sánchez, 2001).

The presence of natural sources or due to human activities, heavy metal ions are found in surface water, wastewater,

waste and soils, by given proper potential health hazard to heavy metals that affect the system of our environmental

flora, as most industries use heavy metals in one way or the other due to their technological importance and

applications, such as metal processing, electroplating, electronics and chemical processing industries. Furthermore,

the presence of heavy metal ions will be control using approved and specific microbes before they are released, for

environmental safety, because the treatment of the contaminated environmental sites is of great concern since heavy

metal ions accumulate in living species with a permanent toxic and carcinogenic activity (Dixit et al., 2015). Though,

sometimes the common treatment processes include chemical precipitation, oxidation/reduction, ion exchange,

membrane technologies, reverse osmosis, and solvent extraction. Though each process has limitation and delimitation

as well as application on the heavy metal ion concentration (Aly, Alzahrani, Amashah, & Jastaniah, 2018). But the

various human anthropogenic activities as a result of agriculture, fishing and industry, produce abnormal

accumulation of different materials in the environment, although most of the contaminants are biodegradable,

containing mostly natural organic matter (agriculture or animal residues). Sometimes, the high quantity of production

render it impossible to eliminate them in short periods of time with other natural organic substance, such as oils or

petroleum hydrocarbons that could be degraded easily. Moreover, the improper industrial activities produce many

toxic chemicals that are not present in nature, such as plastics, pesticides, and enter the ecosystems in large amounts

and affect the biodegradation process.




Sources of heavy metals

The excessive release of Rural and Urban contamination is a worldwide and affect environmental flora, human health

as well as affecting our environmental micro biota that mostly affect rapid growing cities in developing countries,

such as China that strongly affected by anthropogenic activity by human and indicate highest burden of diseases

(Cohen et al., 2004; Chen et al., 2011). However, according to World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that

annually almost 300,000 people rashly die due to urban release contaminants in China and less number in India, the

atmospheric contaminant of heavy metals can impose a long term burden on biogeochemical cycling in the ecological

ecosystem (Kelly et al., 1996; Nriagu, 1988; Nriagu and Pacyna, 1988). More so, the chemical release include; As,

Cr, Ni, Pb, Zn, Cu and Cd are carcinogenic and As and Cd are potentially mutagenic, Pb and Hg are fetal toxic

respectively (Cheng, 2003; He et al., 2001). In recent years, research shows that the heavy metal contaminants have

been reported frequently in China and microbes are the prior consideration given for their vital role in environmental

treatments (Zhou, 2011). However, as a result of high number of causalities recorded, in February 2011, the State

Council officially approved the “12th Five-Year Plan” for comprehensive prevention and control of heavy metals

pollution release in to environment (Duan, Tan, Hao, & Chai, 2016). Mostly, the sources of such contaminants are

released as illustrated in the chat below;

Anthropogenic sources of heavy metals ions caused by Humans activities

Effects of Heavy Metals in an Environment

The presence of non biodegradability nature of toxic heavy metals ions makes it hard to be remove from using

biological tissues in contaminated environment, thus, is a major concern of global health due to fatal nature of

environmental contamination due to the presence of cobalt, copper, iron, manganese and molybdenum that are

required in small quantities for the survival of microorganisms as well as nature of higher concentrations and become




detrimental to heavy metals, such as; Hg, Cr, As, Zn, Cd, Au and Ni that are hazardous and rapidly contaminate the

environment as well as affecting the quality of the soil, crop production. Consequently, if the toxicity exceeds the

maximum permissible concentration in water given by the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation

and Liability Act by USA: Ar (0.01 mg·L−1), Cd (0.05 mg·L−1), Cr (0.01 mg·L−1), Pb (0.015 mg·L−1 ), Hg (0.002

mg·L−1 ) and Ag (0.05 mg·L-1) respectively, and become hazardous to human health (Jaiswal et al., 2018). The

release of contaminant, serve as the major sources of diseases and affect humans life such as cancer, Alzheimer’s

disease, atherosclerosis and Parkinson’s disease due to their high level toxicity of each metal that determined by the

duration of exposure as well as the absorbed dosage by an organisms, and affect the high metal toxicity that inhibits

by cytoplasmic enzymes in plant cells and causes damage to cell structures due to oxidative stress and consequently

affects plant growth and metabolism (Ojuederie & Babalola, 2017).

Mechanisms of Bioremediation

Heavy metals are known to remove important components in biological molecules and hindering the functions of the

microbes by changing the enzymatic function, protein or membrane transporter structure, thereby accumulate in the

plants tissue, the use of resistant microorganisms can be apply for the treatment of such toxic heavy metal

degradation. And also another efficient way used for the removal of contaminants in an environment by stabilizing

the ecosystem and use the indigenous microorganism capable of degrading such heavy metals, or genetically

engineered microorganisms to treat polluted environments by converting the toxic heavy metals into less toxic form

(Nematian & Kazemeini, 2013).

Figure 2 below shows the major groups of microorganisms commonly used for the bioremediation of metals using

different microbes

Fig 2: Microorganisms employed in the bioremediation processes




Biotransformation

Biotransformation are structural modifications in an effective bioremediation by using chemical compound produced

by an organisms /enzyme systems that lead to the formation of molecules with relatively greater polarity using

mechanism that has been developed by adapted microbes to an environmental changes of biotechnological processes.

and maintains the original carbon skeleton. The biotransformation is divided into two types:

Enzymatic: the enzymatic are further divided into Microsomal and Non-Microsomal and is occurring due to various

enzymes present in the body

i- Microsomal biotransformation: is caused by enzymes present within the lipophilic membranes of

smooth endoplasmic reticulum

ii- Non-Microsomal Biotransformation: involves the enzymes which are present within the

mitochondria.

Non-enzymatic: Is highly active, unstable compounds taking place at physiological pH Some of which include

Chlorazepate that are converted into Desmethyl diazepam, Mustin HCl and converted into Ethyleneimonium and

finally into Formaldehyde.

Biosorption

Is the search for new technology that involve the use of biological phenomenon to accumulate and detoxify heavy

metals from wastewater that metabolically mediated or physic chemical system uptake in a solid phase (sorbent or

biosorbent; biological material) and a liquid phase (solvent, normally water) containing a dissolved species (Fourest

and Roux, 1992), the presence of Algae, bacteria, fungi and yeasts, have proved to be potential in metal biosorbents

with advantages over conventional treatment methods that include:

• Low cost;

• High efficiency;

• Minimization of chemical and or biological sludge;

• No additional nutrient requirement;

• Regeneration of biosorbent; and

• Possibility of metal recovery.




Bioaccumulation

Microorganisms used in heavy metal remediation of contaminated sites

The effectiveness of microorganisms for bioremediation of heavy metals ions is the use of consortium

microorganisms; the prokaryotes and Eukaryotes microbes develop a natural capacity to biosorb toxic heavy metal

presents in an environment using microbes such as;

Bacteria

Arthrobacter spp., Pseudomonas veronii, Burkholderiaspp, Kocuria flava and Bacillus cereus

Fungi

Penicillium canescens, Aspergillus versicolo and Aspergillus fumigatus

Algae

Cladophora fascicularis, Spirogyra spp., Cladophora spp., Spirogyra spp. And Spirullina spp.

Yeast

Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida utilis.

The way by which microbes interact with heavy metal ions is partially dependent on either eukaryotes or prokaryotes

whereby several microbes including aerobes, anaerobes, and fungi, are involved in an enzymatic degradation process

using indigenous microorganisms (Coelho et al., 2015).

Conclusion

In conclusion, the natural and anthropogenic actions as a result of domestic and industrial activities produce large

quantities of aqueous effluents containing toxic heavy metals that are release into the environment and affect its

microbial flora. However, the use of good efficient, eco-friendly and cost-effective method using consortium

microorganisms for the remediation of inorganic metals will be very effective and reduce the level of contamination

in the environments.

Bioaccumulation is a metabolically an active process where microorganisms uptake heavy metals into their

intracellular space using importer complexes that create a translocation pathway through the lipid bilayer inside the

intracellular space, by which the heavy metals will be sequestered by proteins and peptide (Britain, 1998).




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