inorganic and organic ratio of arsenic in seeds when rice was inoculated with
Rhizophagus irregularis.
It is important to note that arsenic volatilisation and methylation depends on the
structure, organic content, the degree of the contamination and the chemical status of
the soil (Mestrot et al. 2011). Upadhyay et al. (2018) recorded an annual
0.002–0.13% of net arsenic biovolatilisation in rice fields, with an about 4 μg/kg/
year rate of volatilisation.
8.6 Challenges in Field-Scale Replication of the Strategy
The challenges met particularly by the translational (lab-to-land) researchers are
manifold. These challenges include ecological, environmental, biotic and abiotic.
For instance, in situ bioremediation could be a huge challenge when the arsenic
concentration and the soil characteristics are adversely positioned. As every technology has an associated risk so is the bioremeation. For example, useful more
efficient genetically modified microbes and plants could be employed to remediate
arsenic contamination but its on-field application remains a topic of concern with
biosafety consequences. The pollens of the genetically engineered plants and the
plasmid of the genetically modified microbes could be major challenges to address
the biosafety concern.
8.7 Future Research Directions
The role of genetically modified microbes in expediting the removal and remediation
of contaminating arsenic and their survival when transferred for in situ bioremediation need to be addressed. Factors like temperature, lesser available nutrients and
other related factors that are not easy to restore, may impact bioremediation potential
negatively (Freitas et al. 2013). Furthermore, access to the genetically engineered
plants and microbes to evaluate their role in heavy metals decontamination needs to
be more focussed. Hyperaccumulative plants producing high biomass must be
identified and could be further improved genetically to enhance their remediation
efficiency. Similarly, the bioremediation ability of the these microbes to compete
with the indigenous microbiota for efficient bioremediation by demonstrating an
upper hand in the competitive-exclusion ecological principle calls for technological
insights.
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P. K. Parhi et al.
Rhizophagus irregularis.
It is important to note that arsenic volatilisation and methylation depends on the
structure, organic content, the degree of the contamination and the chemical status of
the soil (Mestrot et al. 2011). Upadhyay et al. (2018) recorded an annual
0.002–0.13% of net arsenic biovolatilisation in rice fields, with an about 4 μg/kg/
year rate of volatilisation.
8.6 Challenges in Field-Scale Replication of the Strategy
The challenges met particularly by the translational (lab-to-land) researchers are
manifold. These challenges include ecological, environmental, biotic and abiotic.
For instance, in situ bioremediation could be a huge challenge when the arsenic
concentration and the soil characteristics are adversely positioned. As every technology has an associated risk so is the bioremeation. For example, useful more
efficient genetically modified microbes and plants could be employed to remediate
arsenic contamination but its on-field application remains a topic of concern with
biosafety consequences. The pollens of the genetically engineered plants and the
plasmid of the genetically modified microbes could be major challenges to address
the biosafety concern.
8.7 Future Research Directions
The role of genetically modified microbes in expediting the removal and remediation
of contaminating arsenic and their survival when transferred for in situ bioremediation need to be addressed. Factors like temperature, lesser available nutrients and
other related factors that are not easy to restore, may impact bioremediation potential
negatively (Freitas et al. 2013). Furthermore, access to the genetically engineered
plants and microbes to evaluate their role in heavy metals decontamination needs to
be more focussed. Hyperaccumulative plants producing high biomass must be
identified and could be further improved genetically to enhance their remediation
efficiency. Similarly, the bioremediation ability of the these microbes to compete
with the indigenous microbiota for efficient bioremediation by demonstrating an
upper hand in the competitive-exclusion ecological principle calls for technological
insights.
232
P. K. Parhi et al.