Chapter 11: Microbial Intervention in Augmenting Radionuclide Contamination from Topsoil

Radionuclides pose a serious threat to both human and environmental health if they are present in the environment. Radioactive waste is produced and released into the environment, both naturally and artificially. Exposure to this waste could lead to severe and potentially fatal illnesses in people. Radionuclide-contaminated habitats host several microbial species that develop a high degree of tolerance to these elements through mechanisms such as biosorption, biotransformation, biomineralization, and intracellular accumulation. These mechanisms involving interactions between microbes and radionuclides have the potential to be used in biotechnology for designing solutions to address various contamination problems through bioremediation. Bioremediation has been proven to be more ecofriendly than physical remediation for the environment. Microorganisms possess inherent genetic, metabolic, and physiological characteristics that render them highly suitable for the purpose of pollutant remediation in soil and groundwater. Microorganism-aided bioremediation can impact the solubility, bioavailability, and mobility of radionuclides. This study presents a comprehensive analysis of several reports in an attempt to understand how microorganisms interact with radioactive substances and how they withstand the effects of ionizing radiation. The review incorporates a multidisciplinary approach and provides an assessment of the current status of research in this field.