Recent advances in the bioremediation of soils contaminated with heavy metals

Due to the increase in the human population, environmental pollution has increased drastically. Heavy metal pollution of the soil is one of these factors. Because of their industrial importance and advantages, heavy metals are often used in various chemical, paint, and battery industries. Bioremediation is a potential approach for addressing heavy metal soil contamination. This review covers methods for removing heavy metals from polluted soils, which include both traditional and cutting-edge techniques. Bioremediation techniques involving the use of microbes and plants and their mechanisms of action are also discussed. The bioremediation process is influenced by several factors, including energy sources, microbial and environmental factors, bioavailability, and economic resources. Although novel and recent, bioremediation is closely related to microbial biotechnology. Biostimulation, bioaugmentation, bioaccumulation, biosorption, phytoremediation, and nanotechnology are just a few of the bioremediation mechanisms used by microbes and plants. The most recent advances in the field of bioremediation, including biomineralization, phytostabilization, hyperaccumulation, dendroremediation, rhizoremediation, mycoremediation, cyanoremediation, genoremediation, and bioinformatics tools, are also discussed here. The benefits and drawbacks of bioremediation of heavy metal-contaminated soils are also emphasized.