Soils and waters contaminated with toxic metals pose a major environmental and human health problem that needs an effective and affordable technological solution. Many areas remain contaminated with no remediation in sight because it is too expensive to clean them up with the available technologies. Bioremediation may provide an economically viable solution for remediating some of these sites.

Bioremediation is the application of biological treatment to the cleanup of hazardous chemicals. This process involves detoxification, where the waste is made less toxic, and mineralization, where the waste material is converted into inorganic compounds such as carbon dioxide, water and methane (Martello, 1991). Bioremediation is an example of environmental biotechnology. This is not a new concept. Microorganisms have been used to remove organic matter and toxic chemicals from domestic and manufacturing waste effluents for many years. However, recent developments in biotechnology have greatly improved the range of treatments available. Bioremediation is becoming the technology of choice for the remediation of many contaminated environments, particularly sites contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons. In recent decades, serious attempts have been made to harness nature’s biodegradative capabilities with the goal of large-scale technological applications for effective and affordable environmental restoration.

In this issue of BiCnews, we have attempted to uncover the principles of bioremediation, its advantages, applications, and obstacles in practicing this technology.