Effects and Mechanisms of Microbial Remediation of Heavy Metals in Soil: A Critical Review
Source abstract
Abstract
The use of microbes to change the concentration of heavy metals in soil and improve the ability of plants to deal with elevated metals concentrations has significant economic and ecological benefits. This paper reviews the origins and toxic effects of heavy metal pollution in soil, and describes the heavy metal accumulation mechanisms of microbes, and compares their different bioconcentration abilities. Biosorption, which depends on the special structure of the cell wall, is found to be the primary mechanism. Furthermore, Escherichia coli are found to adsorb more heavy metals than other species. Factors influencing microbial treatment of wastewater and soil containing heavy metals include temperature, pH, and different substrates. Finally, problems in the application of microbial treatment of heavy metal contamination are considered, and possible directions for future research are discussed.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Adsorption and biosorption for pollutant removal · Heavy metals in environment · Chromium effects and bioremediation
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
College of Forestry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
Beijing Municipal Research Institute of Environmental Protection, Beijing 100037, China
Planning and Design Academy of Forest Products Industry, State Forestry Administration, Beijing 100714, China
Funding
This study was supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities
References (86)
Show source-provided references
1. Isolation and characterization of a heavy-metal-resistant isolate of Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viciae potentially applicable for biosorption of Cd2+ and Co2+10.1016/j.ibiod.2011.10.008 ↗
2. Meta-Analysis of the Copper, Zinc, and Cadmium Absorption Capacities of Aquatic Plants in Heavy Metal-Polluted Water10.3390/ijerph121214959 ↗
3. Effect of fertilizer application on paddy soil heavy metals concentration and groundwater in North of Iran
4. Bioremediation of metals; the application of micro-organisms that make and break minerals
5. Applicability of alkaline precipitation for the recovery of EDDS spent solution10.1016/j.jenvman.2017.08.013 ↗
6. The key microbial processes in the removal of toxic metals and radionuclides from the environment
7. Remediation of heavy metal contaminated soils: Phytoremediation as a potentially promising clean-up technology10.1080/10643380701798272 ↗
8. Ailanthus Altissima and Phragmites Australis for chromium removal from a contaminated soil10.1007/s11356-016-6804-0 ↗
9. Biosorption of metals by a waste biomass10.1002/jctb.280580108 ↗
10. Bacterial sorption of heavy metals10.1128/aem.55.12.3143-3149.1989 ↗
11. Hazards of heavy metal contamination10.1093/bmb/ldg032 ↗
12. The influence of lead on the respiration and biomass of microorganisms in gray forest soil in a long-term field experiment10.1134/S1064229306050061 ↗
13. The investigation of lead removal by biosorption: An application at storage battery industry wastewaters10.1016/j.enzmictec.2006.12.007 ↗
14. Remediation of heavy metal contaminated ecosystem: an overview on technology advancement10.1007/s13762-014-0542-y ↗
15. Race, M., Ferraro, A., Fabbricino, M., La, A.M., Panico, A., Spasiano, D., Tognacchini, A., and Pirozzi, F. (2018). Ethylenediamine-N,N’-Disuccinic Acid (EDDS)-Enhanced Flushing Optimization for Contaminated Agricultural Soil Remediation and Assessment of Prospective Cu and Zn Transport. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 15.10.3390/ijerph15030543 ↗
16. Soil washing for metal removal: A review of physical/chemical technologies and field applications10.1016/j.jhazmat.2007.10.043 ↗
17. Removal of hydrophobic organic pollutants from soil washing/flushing solutions: A critical review10.1016/j.jhazmat.2015.12.008 ↗
18. Alloway, B.J. (1995). Heavy Metals in Soils, Springer. [2nd ed.].10.1007/978-94-011-1344-1 ↗
19. ChemInform Abstract: Adsorption and Absorption of Chloride Ions on Passive Iron Systems10.1002/chin.198711027 ↗
20. Heavy Metals in Contaminated Soils: A Review of Sources, Chemistry, Risks and Best Available Strategies for Remediation
21. Ferrous ion-oxidizing in Thiobacillus ferrooxidans batch cultures: Influence of pH, temperature and initial concentration of Fe2+
22. Cation loss during accumulation of heavy metal cations by Saccharomyces cerevisiae10.1007/BF01023341 ↗
23. Structural Determination of Zn and Pb Binding Sites in Penicillium chrysogenum Cell Walls by EXAFS Spectroscopy10.1021/es9709684 ↗
24. Biosorption of heavy metals by bacteria isolated from activated sludge
25. Surface charge properties of and Cu(II) Adsorption by Spores of the Marine Bacillus sp. Strain SG-110.1128/AEM.64.3.1123-1129.1998 ↗
26. Speciation Analysis of Heavy Metals in Soils Polluted by Electroplating and Effect of Washing to the Removal of the Pollutants
27. Recovery of EDTA and metal precipitation from soil flushing solutions10.1016/S0304-3894(03)00268-1 ↗
28. Research progress on chemical restorer of heavy metal contaminated soil
29. Current situation and prospect on the remediation of soils contaminated by heavy metals
30. Zinc and Lead Biosorption by Delftia tsuruhatensis: A Bacterial Strain Resistant to Metals Isolated from Mine Tailings10.4236/jwarp.2012.44023 ↗
31. Phytoremediation of heavy metal-contaminated soils. I. Response of metal accumulator plant Brassica juncea to soil contamination of copper, zinc, cadmium and lead
32. Wei, S., and Zhou, Q. (2004). Discussion on basic principles and strengthening measures for phytoremediation of soils contaminated by heavy metals. Chin. J. Ecol., 65–72.
33. Phytoremediation—An effective approach of heavy metal cleanup from contaminated soil
34. Removal of cadmium and lead by adapted strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterobacter cloacae10.20937/RICA.2016.32.04.04 ↗
35. Immobilization of the heavy metals Cd, Cu and Pb in an acid soil amended with gypsum- and lime-rich industrial by-products10.1046/j.1365-2389.2003.00583.x ↗
36. Phosphate-induced metal immobilization in a contaminated site10.1016/S0269-7491(02)00283-X ↗
37. Zhou, N. (2008). Experimental Study on the Adsorption and Resistance of Heavy Metal Ions by Active Fungi. [Master’s Thesis, Hunan University].
38. Hotspots in arbuscular mycorrhiza-assisted phytoremediation of heavy metal-contaminated soils
39. Stabilization of As, Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn in soil using amendments—A review10.1016/j.wasman.2006.12.012 ↗
40. Freitas, O., Rui, B., and Delerue-Matos, C. (2006). Adsorption study of lead by Ascophyllum nodosum using a factorial experimental design. Combined and Hybrid Adsorbents, Springer.10.1007/1-4020-5172-7_32 ↗
41. The effect of compost and Bacillus licheniformis on the phytoextraction of Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn by three Brassicaceae species from contaminated soils in the Apulia region, Southern Italy10.1016/j.geoderma.2011.11.029 ↗
42. Chen, X. (2007). Studies on bioremediation of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in heavy metal and rare earth element conctaminated soil. [Ph.D. Thesis, Huazhong Agricultural University].
43. Biosorption of heavy metals10.1021/bp00033a001 ↗
44. Heavy Metal Adsorption onto Kappaphycus sp. from Aqueous Solutions: The Use of Error Functions for Validation of Isotherm and Kinetics Models10.1155/2015/126298 ↗
45. A column study of the biological mobilization and speciation of cadmium in soil10.1007/BF01056029 ↗
46. Leaching heavy metal from deposits of heavy metals with bacteria oxidizing elemental sulphur10.3103/S1063455X15060090 ↗
47. Removal of Heavy Metals from the Environment by Biosorption10.1002/elsc.200420026 ↗
48. Comparative studies on the microbial adsorption of heavy metals10.1016/S1093-0191(02)00004-7 ↗
49. Uptake of 109Cd by roots and hyphae of a Glomus mosseae/Trifolium subterraneum mycorrhiza from soil amended with high and low concentrations of cadmium10.1046/j.1469-8137.1997.00633.x ↗
50. Phytoextraction of heavy metals by two Salicaceae clones in symbiosis with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi during the second year of a field trial10.1007/s11104-009-0273-x ↗
51. Assessment of trace metal distribution and contamination in surface soils of Hong Kong10.1016/S0269-7491(97)00003-1 ↗
52. The Bioadsorption of Cadmium and Lead by Bacteria in Root Exudates Culture10.1080/15320383.2011.620042 ↗
53. Interactions of chromium with microorganisms and plants10.1111/j.1574-6976.2001.tb00581.x ↗
54. Biosorption of lead(II), zinc(II) and nickel(II) from industrial wastewater by Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and Bacillus subtilis10.1515/pjct-2015-0012 ↗
55. Cadmium, Zinc and Copper Biosorption Mediated by Pseudomonas Veronii 2E10.1016/j.biortech.2007.10.060 ↗
56. Microbes and metals10.1007/s002530051116 ↗
57. Heavy metal biosorption sites in Aspergillus niger10.1016/S0960-8524(97)00055-2 ↗
58. Effective bioremoval of reactive dye and heavy metals by Aspergillus versicolor10.1016/j.biortech.2009.08.099 ↗
59. Kinetic and equilibrium studies of the heavy metal remediation potential of Helix pomentia
60. Biosorption of heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn) by chemically-reinforced biomass of marine algae10.1002/jctb.280620311 ↗
61. Equilibrium and kinetic studies in adsorption of heavy metals using biosorbent: A summary of recent studies10.1016/j.jhazmat.2008.06.042 ↗
62. Modeling of the Proton-Metal Ion Exchange in Biosorption10.1021/es00012a024 ↗
63. Scalable Surface Area Characterization by Electrokinetic Analysis of Complex Anion Adsorption10.1021/la503581e ↗
64. Adsorption on heterogeneous surfaces: The exponential equation for the overall adsorption isotherm10.1016/0039-6028(75)90044-8 ↗
65. Kinetics and thermodynamics of heavy metal ions sequestration onto novel Nauclea diderrichii seed biomass10.1016/j.biortech.2012.04.053 ↗
66. Equilibrium modeling and kinetic studies on the adsorption of basic dye by a low-cost adsorbent: Coconut (Cocos nucifera) bunch waste10.1016/j.jhazmat.2008.01.034 ↗
67. Biosorption of Cr(VI) from aqueous solutions by nonliving green algae Cladophora albida10.1016/j.mineng.2008.10.006 ↗
68. Biosorption of toxic metals from aqueous solutions by bacteria strains isolated from metal-polluted soils10.1016/S0032-9592(03)00200-0 ↗
69. Multiple heavy metal removal using an entomopathogenic fungi Beauveria bassiana10.1016/j.biortech.2016.06.096 ↗
70. Phytoremediation of petroleum-polluted soils: Application of Polygonum aviculare and its root-associated (penetrated) fungal strains for bioremediation of petroleum-polluted soils10.1016/j.ecoenv.2009.08.020 ↗
71. Heavy metal concentrations in surface soils from Mexico City10.1007/s001280265 ↗
72. Removing heavy metals from soil with plants10.1134/S1019331608020044 ↗
73. Cu and Pb biosorption on Bacillus thioparans strain U3 in aqueous solution: Kinetic and equilibrium studies
74. Influence of soil organic matter, pH and temperature on cd sorption by four soils from Yangtze river delta
75. Binding characteristics of copper and cadmium by cyanobacterium Spirulina platensis10.1016/j.jhazmat.2011.03.122 ↗
76. The removal of chromium (VI) from aqueous solutions by Fagus orientalis L.10.1016/j.biortech.2003.10.032 ↗
77. Comparison of heavy metal immobilization in contaminated soils amended with peat moss and peat moss-derived biochar10.1039/C6EM00098C ↗
78. Bioremediation of Pulp and Paper mill Effluent by Dominant Aboriginal Microbes and Their Consortium
79. Detection of heavy metal ions using a water-soluble conjugated polymer based on thiophene and meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid10.1002/pi.4369 ↗
80. H2O2/UV-C and Photo-Fenton treatment of a nonylphenol polyethoxylate in synthetic freshwater: Follow-up of degradation products, acute toxicity and genotoxicity10.1016/j.cej.2013.12.022 ↗
81. Influence of heavy metals on the functional diversity of soil microbial communities10.1007/BF00335958 ↗
82. Effects of ryegrass on biodegradation of hydrocarbons in soil10.1016/0045-6535(96)00164-6 ↗
83. Microbes in heavy metal remediation
84. Phytoremediation of an aged petroleum contaminated soil using endophyte infected and non-infected grasses10.1016/j.chemosphere.2010.09.034 ↗
85. Assessment of heavy metals associated with bacteria in soil10.1016/S0038-0717(98)00104-7 ↗
86. Distribution of Chromium and Nickel in Plants and Soil from Serpentine and Other Sites10.2307/2258691 ↗