Exploring Wetland Microbial Communities and Processes for Enhanced Wastewater Treatment: Bibliometric Review

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Microbiology
• Ecology

Background:

• Wastewater generation exceeds conventional treatment capacity, necessitating sustainable solutions.
• Decentralized wastewater treatment is crucial for resource-limited regions.
• Natural and constructed wetlands offer cost-effective, eco-friendly wastewater management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate research trends in wetland microorganisms for wastewater treatment.
• To identify key microbial players and their roles in pollutant remediation.
• To understand microbial community dynamics in wetland ecosystems.

Main Methods:

• Bibliometric analysis of research papers.
• Keywords: "Wetland" and "Microorganisms" in titles.
• Identification of abundant microbial phyla and their functions.

Main Results:

• Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, and Firmicutes are dominant phyla.
• These microbes facilitate pollutant transformation via nitrification, denitrification, and methanogenesis.
• Microorganisms are vital for biodegradation, bioaccumulation, and biosorption processes.

Conclusions:

• Wetlands are effective for sustainable wastewater treatment.
• Understanding microbial roles is key to enhancing treatment efficiency.
• Further research on functional microbes and their interactions is recommended.