Cyanide biodegradation: a scoping review

Cyanide pollution is a significant environmental issue since its presence poses a danger to human health and biodiversity. Contaminated water and untreated soils can result in the migration of pollutants to populated areas or nearby ecosystems. The research and development of biological techniques for cyanide degradation entail numerous significant benefits, although they also face various challenges. On the one hand, these approaches offer an ecologically and economically viable solution for eliminating cyanide contamination from industrial activities such as mining and chemical manufacturing. These biological techniques may be more specific than conventional chemical methods, reducing the production of harmful by-products. However, the application of these biological methods also presents certain limitations. For example, their effectiveness may depend on environmental and operational factors such as temperature, pH, and nutrient availability, which could restrict their utility in specific environments. Although highly toxic cyanide prevents most plants and microorganisms from developing or surviving, others can degrade it as a detoxifying mechanism. This review article compiles information on biological species such as plants, bacteria, and fungi studied from 2012 to 2022 to assess their ability to degrade cyanide. Numerous microorganisms can decompose cyanide, showcasing the efficacy of biological methods as a viable alternative to physical and chemical approaches. Moreover, there is a need for further research on plant species, given the current limitations in this area. Additionally, scant discussion is noted regarding the utilization of living organisms at contaminated sites under uncontrolled conditions in the reviewed literature.