Microbial Strategies for Potential Cadmium Bioremediation: A Review

Cadmium (Cd) is a highly toxic heavy metal that poses serious environmental risks due to its persistence and bioaccumulation in various ecosystems. Traditional methods of Cd remediation, such as chemical precipitation and adsorption are not environment-friendly and expensive. In recent years, bioremediation has emerged as a promising and sustainable alternative for the removal of Cd from contaminated environments. This review explores the various microbial strategies (bioaugmentation, mycoremediation, phycoremediation, phytoremediation, nano bioremediation, microbial fuel cells, microbial consortia, and biofilm applications) employed for potential removal of Cd from soil and water resources, emphasizing their efficiency, applicability, and prospects. We also elaborated different mechanisms (such as biosorption, bioprecipitation, bioleaching, bioaccumulation, biotransformation, sequestration, phytoextraction, phytostabilization, rhizofiltration, and molecular mechanisms) responsible for Cd removal from wastewater. This review provides valuable insights into harnessing the power of microorganisms to combat Cd pollution effectively.