Journal of Bioremediation & Biodegradation
Open Access

Abstract

In Global scenario, industrial revolution appears to result in rising up of chemical industries for manufacturing a variety of chemicals to fulfill public demands and need of synthetic materials in every compartment of day-to-day life. The compounds like explosives, pesticides, phenolics, synthetic polymers, dyes etc. are the essential commodities and hence produced in large quantities by these industries. The high growth of both manufacturer and user industries has led to pollution of the environment. The wastewaters generated in the production of such compounds are discharged in the environment particularly in water bodies and soil leading to their pollution. These wastewaters are not only in large volumes but also contain a variety of toxic chemical compounds, coloring agents etc. which are hazardous to both aquatic and terrestrial life. Hence such wastewaters require remediation. By virtue of ability to degrade a variety of toxic chemicals, microorganisms play an important role in bioremediation of environmental pollutants. The present paper describes microbial remediation methods developed for the chemo pollutants like triphenylmethane dyes, synthetic polymers, and their monomers, different groups of pesticides like carbamates, organophosphates, organochlorine etc., and nitro compounds using different bacteria belonging to the genera Arthrobacter, Bacillus, Brevundimonas Microbacterium, Providencia, Pseudomonas and yeast species viz. Candida, Pichia etc. Studies were carried out using fixed film bioreactors, two stage bioreactors, activated sludge processes etc. The involvement of enzymes in degradation of these toxic pollutants and genes encoding such detoxifying enzymes especially in case of pesticides is discussed.

Biography

Dr. Pradnya Kanekar, M.Sc., Ph.D., has been working as Scientist G and Head, Microbial Sciences Division of MACS-Agharkar Research Institute, Pune, M.S. India. She has post doctoral research experience of 30 years since 1980. Her main areas of interest are biodegradation and bioremediation of toxic organic pollutants; microbial diversity and conservation of bacteria and archaea; biotechnological potential of extremophiles. So far 12 students have been awarded Ph.D. degree in the subject of Microbiology of Pune University and six students are registered for Ph.D. degree. 55 papers are published in peer reviewed journals. Five Indian patents are granted, three patents applied and one technology transferred for commercialization.