Recent Advances and Techniques in Bioremediation with Extremophiles

The exploration of extremophiles, organisms that thrive in extreme conditions, presents a novel approach to bioremediation, especially in environments where traditional methods fail. These organisms possess unique capabilities that enable them to manage pollutants under conditions of high salinity, acidity, or temperature, making them ideal candidates for remediation in challenging environments.

Recent advancements in genetic profiling and the study of molecular mechanisms have illuminated how extremophiles degrade pollutants. For instance, halophilic bacteria have shown remarkable efficiency in degrading hydrocarbons in saline environments, while thermophilic fungi are being explored for their potential to break down industrial dyes at high temperatures.

Currently, the field is rapidly evolving as researchers conduct both lab and field studies to assess the effectiveness of these organisms across a variety of contaminated sites. The genetic and biochemical pathways that empower extremophiles to transform hazardous substances into less harmful forms are of particular interest, with ongoing efforts to map these pathways comprehensively.

To further explore extremophile-based bioremediation, this Research Topic welcomes Original Research, Review, Mini Review, Methods and Perspective articles focusing on:

• Comprehensive lab and field studies evaluating the efficiency of extremophiles at various contaminated sites;
• Application of extremophiles in industrial and hazardous waste remediation;
• Investigation into the genetic and molecular basis of pollutant degradation by extremophiles;
• Comparative studies analyzing the efficiency of extremophiles across different extreme environments;
• Development and optimization of extremophile-based bioremediation strategies;
• Innovations and future directions in the field of extremophile bioremediation.

These insights will deepen our understanding and help harness the full potential of extremophiles in environmental cleanup, allowing for more effective and sustainable bioremediation strategies.

Please note that Microbiotechnology does not consider descriptive studies that are solely based on amplicon (e.g., 16S rRNA) profiles, unless they are accompanied by a clear hypothesis and experimentation and provide insight into the microbiological system or process being studied.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: pollutant degradation, Extremophiles bioremediation, Environmental pollutant management, Novel bioremediation techniques, Contaminated site remediation, Thermophilic microorganisms, Halophilic microorganisms, Environmental clean up

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.