Xenobiotic compounds are chemicals which are foreign to the biosphere. Depending on their fate in air, water, soil, or sediment, xenobiotic pollutants may become available to microorganisms   in   different   environmental   compartments.

Microorganism has the capability of degrading all naturally occurring compounds; this is known as the principle of microbial infallibility. Microorganisms are also able to degrade many of the xenobiotic compounds, but they are unable to degrade many others. The compounds that resist biodegradation and thereby persist in the environment are called recalcitrant.

Environmental problems caused by the industrial effluents are mainly due to accumulation of pollutants and other fragmented compounds, which in turn form into other substitutes, finally forming a xenobiont. There is a quick need to degrade these xenobiotic compounds in an eco-friendly way.

Each having their own ways of degrading these xenobionts, also have negative impact on the environment. Phytoremediation, novel equipment based technique which is rapid but also have a negative impact on the environment. Being a solar driven technique, phytoremediation is restricted to particular sites containing contaminants. Although slow, on the whole microbial bioremediation was found to cover wide range of recalcitrant degradation and is known to be a better choice because of its nature of degradation.

Catherine Darley
Journal of Bioremediation & Biodegradation
Whatsapp NO.: +3228082557
bioremediation@escientificjournals.com