Imperative environmental concerns of the most prevalent pesticides, strategies to remediate and recent advancements: a scoping review

Introduction The extensive use of pesticides relies on the enhancement of crop productivity along with pest control. However, the excessive and uncontrolled application of certain pesticides has led to significant environmental and health concerns. Methods This review provides an overview of the most prevalent pesticides used around the globe, selected based on bibliometric analysis with a systematic workflow confers the prevalence of atrazine, glyphosate, chlorpyrifos, imidacloprid, carbendazim, and tebuconazole over the decade among other peesticides. Their toxicity profiles, global pesticide management policies, and available remediation approaches (microbial, enzymatic, and physicochemical) were discussed, along with recent advancements in microbial bioremediation, gene editing, bioelectrochemical systems, nanoremediation, nano-biohybrid systems, and artificial intelligence interventions in pesticide degradation. Results The toxicity profiles of these compounds are critically discussed, focusing on their acute and chronic effects on humans, animals, soil organisms, and aquatic life. Loopholes in global pesticide regulations are also presented. Various remediation approaches are discussed for mitigating the persistence of these pesticides in the environment. Discussion By highlighting the dual challenges of toxicity and persistence, this review emphasizes the necessity of sustainable pesticide management and the potential of biodegradation strategies as environmentally safe alternatives for effective pollution control.