Biogenic Nanoparticles and Strategies of Nano-bioremediation to Remediate PAHs for a Sustainable Future

Polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are considered as dangerous contaminants in water and soil, which are highly toxic, and also carcinogenic to living organisms including humans. The concerns on the PAHs removal are increased due to the difficulties in their removal from contaminated water and soil. Bioremediation technology is the most promising, cost-effective, and eco-friendly approach to remove the hydrocarbons by using potential microorganisms. Nevertheless, the existing bioremediation technology has important limitations, such as, poor efficiency of microbial communities in the field, and lesser bioavailability of pollutants. To overcome these issues, advanced nano-biotechnology could be used. In recent studies, functionalized biogenic nanomaterials have shown possible PAH removal efficiency by adsorbing/desorbing them. Also, nano-sized photocatalysts can be used for photocatalytic oxidation of adsorbed or separated PAHs. Combining these integrated approaches will make a significant impact on the bioremediation of PAH contaminants. Nano-bioremediation could play an important role in mobility, micelle formation, and increasing bioavailability, which will assist in the removal/utilization of PAHs by biological (i.e., using microorganisms) or physicochemical (i.e., photocatalysis) methods.