7 Conclusion and Future Outlook
Environmental contamination from around the globe has forced the scientific community to think about the environmental sustainability. Environmental sustainability and
safety is a major issue in the world due to rapidly increasing pollution that create health
hazards and toxicity in the environment. Environmental pollutants (organic and inorganic in nature) can be hazardous to living beings upon exposure and need to be
remediated/detoxified using an array of microbes. Being of highly toxic nature, pollutants sometime can inhibit the growth of remediating microbes and, thus, halt the
bioremediation processes. Therefore, genetic engineering can be a potential molecular
technique to engineer the intended microbes to enhance their catalytic potential for
bioremediation of environmental pollutants. However, the potential risks should also be
considered before applying genetically engineered microbes in field.
Acknowledgments Gaurav Saxena and Roop Kishor are thankful to the University Grants
Commission (UGC) Fellowship from UGC, Government of India, New Delhi, India.
References
Abhilash PC, Jamil S, Singh N (2009) Transgenic plants for enhanced biodegradation and
phytoremediation of organic xenobiotics. Biotechnol Adv 27:474–488
Ackerley DF, Gonzalez CF, Keyhan M, Blake R, Matin A (2004) Mechanism of chromate
reduction by the Escherichia coli protein, NfsA, and the role of different chromate reductases
in minimizing oxidative stress during chromate reduction. Environ Microbiol 6:851–860
Alkorta I, Herna´ndez-Allica J, Becerril JM, Amezaga I, Albizu I, Garbisu C (2004) Recent findings
on the phytoremediation of soils contaminated with environmentally toxic heavy metals and
metalloids such as zinc, cadmium, lead and arsenic. Rev Environ Sci Biotechnol 3:71–90
Atlas RM (1992) Molecular methods for environmental monitoring and Containment of genetically
engineered microorganisms. Biodegradation 3:137–146
Azubuike CC, Chikere CB,Okpokwasili GC (2016) Bioremediation techniques–classification
based on site of application: principles, advantages, limitations and prospects World J Microbiol
Biotechnol 32(11):180
Baker A, McGrath S, Reeves R, Smith J (2000) Metal hyperaccumulator plants: a review of the
ecology and physiology of a biological resource for phytoremediation of metal polluted soils. In:
Terry N, Bañuelos GS (eds) Phytoremediation of contaminated soil and water. CRC, Boca, pp
85–107
Balestrazzi A, Bonadei M, Quattrini E, Carbonera D (2009) Occurrence of multiple metal resistance
in bacterial isolates associated with transgenic white poplars (Populus alba L.). Ann Microbiol
59:17–23
Banerjee S, Shang TQ, Wilson AM, Moore AL, Strand SE, Gordon MP, Doty SL (2002)
Expression of functional mammalian P450 2E1 in hairy root cultures. Biotechnol Bioeng
77:462–466
Barac T, Taghavi S, Borremans B, Provoost A, Oeyen L, Colpaert JV, Vangronsveld J, van der
Lelie D (2004) Engineered endophytic bacteria improve phytoremediation of water-soluble,
volatile, organic pollutants. Nat Biotechnol 22:583–588
Bharagava RN, Saxena G, Mulla SI, Patel DK (2017a) Characterization and identification of
recalcitrant organic pollutants (ROPs) in tannery wastewater and its phytotoxicity evaluation
12
G. Saxena et al.
Environmental contamination from around the globe has forced the scientific community to think about the environmental sustainability. Environmental sustainability and
safety is a major issue in the world due to rapidly increasing pollution that create health
hazards and toxicity in the environment. Environmental pollutants (organic and inorganic in nature) can be hazardous to living beings upon exposure and need to be
remediated/detoxified using an array of microbes. Being of highly toxic nature, pollutants sometime can inhibit the growth of remediating microbes and, thus, halt the
bioremediation processes. Therefore, genetic engineering can be a potential molecular
technique to engineer the intended microbes to enhance their catalytic potential for
bioremediation of environmental pollutants. However, the potential risks should also be
considered before applying genetically engineered microbes in field.
Acknowledgments Gaurav Saxena and Roop Kishor are thankful to the University Grants
Commission (UGC) Fellowship from UGC, Government of India, New Delhi, India.
References
Abhilash PC, Jamil S, Singh N (2009) Transgenic plants for enhanced biodegradation and
phytoremediation of organic xenobiotics. Biotechnol Adv 27:474–488
Ackerley DF, Gonzalez CF, Keyhan M, Blake R, Matin A (2004) Mechanism of chromate
reduction by the Escherichia coli protein, NfsA, and the role of different chromate reductases
in minimizing oxidative stress during chromate reduction. Environ Microbiol 6:851–860
Alkorta I, Herna´ndez-Allica J, Becerril JM, Amezaga I, Albizu I, Garbisu C (2004) Recent findings
on the phytoremediation of soils contaminated with environmentally toxic heavy metals and
metalloids such as zinc, cadmium, lead and arsenic. Rev Environ Sci Biotechnol 3:71–90
Atlas RM (1992) Molecular methods for environmental monitoring and Containment of genetically
engineered microorganisms. Biodegradation 3:137–146
Azubuike CC, Chikere CB,Okpokwasili GC (2016) Bioremediation techniques–classification
based on site of application: principles, advantages, limitations and prospects World J Microbiol
Biotechnol 32(11):180
Baker A, McGrath S, Reeves R, Smith J (2000) Metal hyperaccumulator plants: a review of the
ecology and physiology of a biological resource for phytoremediation of metal polluted soils. In:
Terry N, Bañuelos GS (eds) Phytoremediation of contaminated soil and water. CRC, Boca, pp
85–107
Balestrazzi A, Bonadei M, Quattrini E, Carbonera D (2009) Occurrence of multiple metal resistance
in bacterial isolates associated with transgenic white poplars (Populus alba L.). Ann Microbiol
59:17–23
Banerjee S, Shang TQ, Wilson AM, Moore AL, Strand SE, Gordon MP, Doty SL (2002)
Expression of functional mammalian P450 2E1 in hairy root cultures. Biotechnol Bioeng
77:462–466
Barac T, Taghavi S, Borremans B, Provoost A, Oeyen L, Colpaert JV, Vangronsveld J, van der
Lelie D (2004) Engineered endophytic bacteria improve phytoremediation of water-soluble,
volatile, organic pollutants. Nat Biotechnol 22:583–588
Bharagava RN, Saxena G, Mulla SI, Patel DK (2017a) Characterization and identification of
recalcitrant organic pollutants (ROPs) in tannery wastewater and its phytotoxicity evaluation
12
G. Saxena et al.