Emerging bioremediation technologies for the treatment of wastewater containing synthetic organic compounds

The conventional methods for industrial wastewater treatments are now facing challenges to cope up with the emergence of new pollutants, a growing population, rapid industrialization, and most importantly shrinking freshwater resources. Moreover, in many countries the aging of infrastructure is adding to the problem. Therefore a need of the upcoming decade is to develop the advanced treatment technologies for the effective removal of potentially toxic compounds which could not be eliminated by traditional processes. Emerging bioremediation technologies, such as microbial fuel cells, bioelectrochemical systems, processes based on nano(bio)technology, natural treatment systems (viz., constructed wetlands), integrated technologies involving physicochemical/biological methods, have shown effective results at lab- and pilot-level studies. Many of these technologies are in their developmental stages, and require significant improvements in process efficiency, economics, and energy conservation. They have to meet the existing challenges and need to be refined in order to integrate them into better performing sustainable universal systems.