Editorial: Bioremediation for a greener planet: removal of excess nutrients, heavy metals, hydrocarbons, and other pollutants by aquatic microorganisms

nutrients or organic carbon can alter microbial communities and biogeochemical cycles promoting harmful algal blooms or other eutrophication events leading to anoxia and subsequent production of toxic compounds (e.g. sulfides). In addition, a more dramatic impact derives from toxic metals, hydrocarbons, and CECs since these substances can accumulate in living cells and tissues spreading through the food web, potentially leading to noxious or unpredictable consequences for ecosystems and human health. Sustainable solutions are required, and biotechnological research is increasingly focusing on nature-based alternatives to conventional remediation techniques. Within this context, the innate metabolism of aquatic organisms, especially microbes, can provide powerful tools for environmental restoration. The highly diversified metabolism of microbes, most of which is yet to be discovered, opens a wide range of exploration opportunities for novel pollution-mitigating strategies. Some microbes indeed can survive highly polluted environments, grow across varying salinity or redox conditions, and are able to biosynthesise biotech-relevant metabolites. Bioremediation 2 approaches range from direct use of organisms, exploiting their native capabilities to uptake, 27 chemically transform (e.g. enzymatically mediated redox processes converting selected toxic metals 28 to less noxious forms) or contaminants, to the use of dead cells, cell wall material, or 29 biosorbents manufactured from microbe-derived substances for pollutants adsorption.