Firincă Cristina, Zamfir Lucian-Gabriel, Constantin Mariana, Răut Iuliana, Jecu Maria-Luiza, Doni Mihaela, Gurban Ana-Maria, Șesan Tatiana Eugenia
Biotechnology Department, National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry-ICECHIM, 202 Spl. Independenței, 060021 Bucharest, Romania.
Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 91-95 Spl. Independenței, 050095 Bucharest, Romania.
J Xenobiot. 2025 Apr 26;15(3):63. doi: 10.3390/jox15030063.
Decades of technological advancements have led to major environmental concerns, particularly the bioaccumulation of heavy metals, which pose persistent risks to ecosystems and human health. Consequently, research has increasingly shifted from conventional remediation techniques toward more sustainable, environmentally friendly solutions. This review explores recent advancements, ongoing challenges, and future perspectives in the field of bioremediation, emphasizing its potential as a green technology for heavy metal decontamination. Despite significant progress, key challenges remain, including scalability limitations and the management of bioremediation by-products, along with the influence of regulatory policies and public perception on its large-scale implementation. Emerging approaches such as genetic engineering and nanotechnology show promise in overcoming these limitations. Gene editing allows the tailoring of specific metabolic traits for bioprocesses targeted towards increased tolerance to pollutants and higher biodegradation efficiency, higher enzymatic specificity and affinity, and improved yield and fitness in plants. Nanotechnologies, particularly biogenic nanostructures, open up the possibility of repurposing waste materials as well as harnessing the advantages of the biosynthesis of NPs with higher stability, biocompatibility, and biostimulant capacities. Furthermore, biopolymers and bio-based nanocomposites can improve the efficiency and costs of bioremediation protocols. Even so, further research is essential to evaluate their long-term risks and feasibility.
几十年的技术进步引发了重大的环境问题，尤其是重金属的生物累积，这对生态系统和人类健康构成了持续风险。因此，研究越来越多地从传统修复技术转向更可持续、环境友好的解决方案。本综述探讨了生物修复领域的最新进展、当前挑战和未来前景，强调了其作为重金属去污绿色技术的潜力。尽管取得了重大进展，但关键挑战仍然存在，包括可扩展性限制、生物修复副产物的管理，以及监管政策和公众认知对其大规模实施的影响。基因工程和纳米技术等新兴方法在克服这些限制方面显示出前景。基因编辑允许针对生物过程定制特定的代谢特性，以提高对污染物的耐受性、提高生物降解效率、提高酶的特异性和亲和力，并改善植物的产量和适应性。纳米技术，特别是生物源纳米结构，开辟了将废料重新利用的可能性，以及利用具有更高稳定性、生物相容性和生物刺激能力的纳米颗粒生物合成的优势。此外，生物聚合物和生物基纳米复合材料可以提高生物修复方案的效率和成本。即便如此，进一步的研究对于评估它们的长期风险和可行性至关重要。
