Introduction heavy metal pollution

Bioavailability: The fraction of contaminant actually available to microorganisms is said to be bioavailable.

Environmental Pollution: Introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause adverse effects on living organisms and ecosystems.

Ecological Restoration: Ecological restoration is the process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged, or destroyed.

Heavy metals: A heavy metal is a metallic element which has high density, specific gravity or atomic weight and usually toxic in nature.

Metabolic degradation: Metabolic biodegradation of the organic pollutants is carried out by the soil microbial populations harbouring specific catabolic enzymes leading to the complete mineralization of target compound.

Co-metabolism: The co-metabolic degradation corresponds to the non specific degradation of xenobiotic molecule by microorganisms.

Phytoremediation: Phytoremediation is the process of removing/eliminating inorganic toxic metals and organic compounds using plants and trees from contaminated environment.

Phytovolatilization: contaminants taken up by the roots pass through the plants to the leaves and are volatized through stomata, where gas exchange occurs.

Phytostabilization: plants are used to reduce the mobility and bioavailability of environmental pollutants.

Phytoextraction: plant roots take up contaminants and store them in stems and leaves

Xenobiotics: A synthetic organic compound such as drug, pesticide, or carcinogen that is foreign to a living organism is called xenobiotic compounds.

Lower Metabolic Pathway: The organic pollutant degradation pathway involving cleavage of the aromatic ring structure is called lower metabolic pathway.

Upper Metabolic Pathway: The organic pollutant degradation pathway leading to formation of some key intermediates/secondary product is called upper metabolic pathway.

ADDITIONAL READINGS

Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology

Giri, K. and Rai, J.P.N. 2012. Biodegradation of endosulfan isomers in broth culture and soil microcosm by Pseudomonas fluorescens isolated from soil. International Journal of Environmental studies, 69 (5): 729-742.

Giri, K. and Rai, J.P.N. 2014. Bacterial Metabolism of Petroleum Hydrocarbons In J.N., Govil, (ed.). Biodegradation and Bioremediation, Biotechnology 11: 73-93. Studium Press LLC, New Delhi

Giri, K. Rawat, A.P., Rawat, M. and Rai, J.P.N. 2014. Biodegradation of Hexachlorocyclohexane by Two Species of Bacillus Isolated from Contaminated Soil. Chemistry and Ecology, 30 (2): 97-109.

INSA, (2011). Hazardous metals and minerals pollution in india. Indian National Science Academy, Bahadurshah Zafar Marg, New Delhi, Angkor Publishers (P) Ltd., Noida. pp. 1- 24.

Marques, A. P. G. C., Rangel, A. O. S. S., & Castro, P. M. L. (2009). Remediation of heavy metal contaminated soils: phytoremediation as a potentially promising clean-up technology. Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology, 39(8), 622–654.

Mohammed, A. S., Kapri, A., & Goel, R. (2011). Heavy metal pollution: source, impact, and remedies. In M. S. Khan, A. Zaidi, R. Goel & J. Musarrat (Eds.), Biomanagement of Metal-Contaminated Soils (pp 1-28). Springer Netherlands.

Prasad, M.N.V. 2011. A State-of-the-Art report on Bioremediation, its Applications to Contaminated Sites in India, Ministry of Environment and Forests Government of India, pp.90