Effectiveness of Biological Approaches for Removing Persistent Organic Pollutants from Wastewater: A Mini-Review

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs), including organochlorine pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-furans, pose significant hazards to the environment and living organisms. This concise review aims to consolidate knowledge on the biological processes involved in removing POPs from wastewater, an area less explored compared to conventional physico-chemical methods. The focus is on the potential of various aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms, fungi, and bacteria for efficient bioremediation, mitigating or eradicating the deleterious effects of these chemicals. The review scrutinizes individual bacterial strains and mixed cultures engaged in breaking down persistent organic pollutants in water, highlighting promising results from laboratory investigations that could be scaled for practical applications. The review concludes by underscoring the opportunities for exploring and advancing more sophisticated bioremediation techniques and optimized bioreactors. The ultimate goal is to enhance the efficiency of microbial-based strategies, implicitly reducing the environmental impact of persistent chemicals.