Organic Micropollutants in the Environment: Ecotoxicity Potential and Bioremediation Approaches

A wide range of organic compounds, metals, and other substances which are emitted in our environment in very small concentrations are categorized as micropollutants. These substances are used by all of us in our everyday lives, while some are emitted into the environment in greater quantities as a result of large-scale industrial processes. Microplastics, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been detected in marine and terrestrial ecosystems and cause toxicological effects. These micropollutants persist in the environment for a longer duration and undergo bioaccumulation in the food chain in an ecosystem. Bioremediation is a sustainable technology for the abatement of these targeted pollutants in naturally contaminated sites. Bioremediation is a method of using microorganisms or plants for the removal of organic pollutants. It is one of the cost-effective and advantageous techniques over conventional physical and chemical methods. In this chapter, we are discussing exposure and fate of these pollutants among invertebrates, vertebrates, plants, crops, and humans. Potential risk factors, abatement of organic micropollutants through the bioremediation process, and future strategy have also been highlighted.