Sustainable and Advanced Strategies for Bioremediation of Highly Contaminated Wastewater
Marija Vuković Domanovac, Mirela Volf, Monika Šabić Runjavec, Ivana Terzić
Abstract
The risk of contamination of the vital resource of water continues to increase and represents an urgent problem for modern society. Globalisation, industrialisation and technological progress have led to the need to treat more and more wastewater streams before they can be released into the environment. A high chemical and biochemical oxygen demand as well as the sum of dissolved and suspended organic and inorganic components are the main characteristics of highly contaminated wastewater. Research into environmentally friendly and sustainable technologies is becoming increasingly important in wastewater treatment. Bioremediation utilises the ability to restore the biogenic elements of the environment and is an environmentally friendly method for removing contaminants from the surrounding ecosystem. Forming microbial consortia that exhibit both excellent biosorption properties and a high resistance to toxic conditions is crucial for the biodegradation of complicated systems, such as highly contaminated wastewater. The development of systematic biological molecular tools can further improve the bioremediation process. By integrating innovative technologies with the already existing natural microbial capacity, it is possible to further improve the sustainability of biological treatments of wastewater streams while preserving the natural environment.