Role of cyanobacteria in green remediation

Abstract Anthropogenic activities and industrial processes have remarkably increased the quantity of toxic waste effluents, which have long-lasting effects on life-supporting systems: air, water, and soil. Unpredictable and alarming increases in the hazardous and toxic substances of the ecosystem and their impact on living organisms are a growing concern, and recent attempts to overcome this problem have relied on environmental biotechnological programs. With the understanding of habitats and metabolisms, the bioremediation of contaminants by microorganisms is cheaper, is easily available, has high public acceptance, and is eco-friendly. Cyanobacteria are capable of degrading a wide range of pollutants by modifying their metabolic processes and secreting a variety of metabolites into their surroundings. Due to the co-metallic nature of cyanobacterial exopolysaccharide, the degradation processes for heavy metals and metalloids is enhanced. Cyanobacteria significantly remediate contaminated sites that are polluted with high levels of heavy metals, phenolic compounds, dyes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and petroleum by-products.