Emerging contaminants bioremediation by enzyme and nanozyme-based processes - A review

Gustavo Amaro Bittencourt; Luciana Porto de Souza Vandenberghe; Walter José Martínez-Burgos; Kim Kley Valladares-Diestra; Ariane Fátima Murawski de Mello; Bruna Leal Maske; Satinder Kaur Brar; Sunita Varjani; Gilberto Vinicius de Melo Pereira; Carlos Ricardo Soccol

doi:10.1016/j.isci.2023.106785

Emerging contaminants bioremediation by enzyme and nanozyme-based processes - A review

iScience. 2023 Apr 29;26(6):106785. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106785. eCollection 2023 Jun 16.

Affiliations

¹ Department of Bioprocess Engineering and Biotechnology, Federal University of Parana, Centro Politécnico, CP 19011, Curitiba-PR 81531-908, Brazil.
² Department of Civil Engineering, York University, Canada.
³ School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon 999077, Hong Kong.
⁴ Sustainability Cluster, School of Engineering, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248 007, India.

Abstract

Due to their widespread occurrence and the inadequate removal efficiencies by conventional wastewater treatment plants, emerging contaminants (ECs) have recently become an issue of great concern. Current ongoing studies have focused on different physical, chemical, and biological methods as strategies to avoid exposing ecosystems to significant long-term risks. Among the different proposed technologies, the enzyme-based processes rise as green biocatalysts with higher efficiency yields and lower generation of toxic by-products. Oxidoreductases and hydrolases are among the most prominent enzymes applied for bioremediation processes. The present work overviews the state of the art of recent advances in enzymatic processes during wastewater treatment of EC, focusing on recent innovations in terms of applied immobilization techniques, genetic engineering tools, and the advent of nanozymes. Future trends in the enzymes immobilization techniques for EC removal were highlighted. Research gaps and recommendations on methods and utility of enzymatic treatment incorporation in conventional wastewater treatment plants were also discussed.

Keywords: Biotechnology; Environmental Biotechnology; Environmental science; Pollution.

Publication types

Review