Microbial technologies as an ecological tool for advancing environmental sustainability

The global drive for environmental sustainability demands accelerating efforts in searching for sustainable, innovative solutions to address the environmental consequences of industrial operations. While these operations are driven by the increased demand to satisfy human needs, they have also imposed risks of natural resources scarcity and compromised planetary health. However, sustainable microbiology has emerged as a popular scientific discipline capable of delivering innovative sustainable microbial technologies for addressing these challenges. Microbes, such as Pseudomonas and Bacillus species, have useful applications in bioremediation. Many microorganisms can produce sustainably relevant industrial products, such as biopesticides, bioplastics, biofuels, and biomaterials. For example, Cupriavidus necator, Escherichia coli, and Bacillus species can synthesise biopolymers that can be used as precursors for manufacturing bioplastics, microalgal systems can serve as biofactories for biofuel synthesis, whereas Synechocystic sp. and microalgae can assist with reducing carbon footprints through biological carbon capture and utilisation. Through biotechnological approaches, such as genetic engineering, synthetic biotechnologies, and omics, microbial functions can be enhanced and optimised for specific environmental issues, considerably boosting process efficiency and reducing production costs. This study explores the environmental liabilities and evaluates the potential of microbial technologies as innovative strategies for their smooth transition into sustainable and eco-friendly industrial operations. It provides insights into biotechnologically enhanced microorganisms and microbial processes as ecological transformative tools for achieving environmental sustainability. It further highlights scalability, safety, ethical, and social acceptance as crucial concerns while emphasising the need for further investigation into immediate and long-term environmental impacts of the technology.