Cypermethrin insecticide is widely used to prevent and control pest and crop diseases though, its residues have caused significant damage to the environment and living organisms. Microbial remediation becomes a popular approach to counter the toxicity of cypermethrin in both aquatic as well as terrestrial life. Cypermethrin can be effectively degraded to nontoxic compounds by bacterial and fungal strains. Various bacterial and fungal strains such as Ochrobactrum lupini DG-S-01, Bacillus sp. strain SG2, Azoarcus indigens strain HZ5, Streptomyces aureus strain HP-S-01, and Aspergillus oryzae M-4 are used for the cypermethrin degradation. Extensive usage of cypermethrin has caused problems such as surface water contamination, reduced fertility of the soil, detrimental effects on soil microbiota and non-targeted species. Due to environmental concerns associated with the cypermethrin in groundwater and food products, there is a crucial need to develop economical, rapid, and reliable techniques that can be used for field applications. An in-depth understanding of cypermethrin is explored in this review paper and possible solutions to mitigate its environmental toxicity are suggested.

Ten species of white-rot fungi were evaluated for their ability to decolorization of palm oil mill effluent. The highest decolorization efficiency was found with Trametes elegans (PP17-06), followed by Ganoderma sp.2 (PW17-06) and Ganoderma sp.2 (PW17-177), respectively. T. elegans was further evaluated for the long-term performance of decolorization for 24 d. The optimal retention time for the decolorization was 8 d, with a color removal efficiency of 47.7%. Beyond 18 d of incubation, decolorization efficiency was reduced due to the autolysis of enzymes. During the biodegradation process, manganese peroxidase enzyme activities reached a maximum of 36.03 U.L−1. However, no significant laccase and lignin peroxidase activities were observed. T. elegans was also assessed for decolorization performance through biosorption on mycelial biomass. The synthesis of the enzyme was prevented by exposing the mycelium to HgCl2. Within an optimal contact time of 2 d, decolorization efficiency reached 12.5% with ADMI reduction from 4259.0 (±20.1) ADMI to 3727 (±104.04) ADMI. Results indicate that the adsorption capacity was reached at this time, and no significant color removal can be achieved by biomass. Results obtained in this study showed the potential of T. elegans in decolorizing palm oil mill effluent.

In the present study, biodegradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was examined using two fungal strains, namely P. chrysosporium and P. citrinum, isolated from locally contaminated soil. These two fungal strains were compared based on degradation properties under standardized conditions (pH 7.0, temperature 30oC, carbon source yeast extract) using PAH sole and a mixture of five different PAHs. In liquid media, PAH degradation was higher as compared to spiked soil by P. chrysosporium, followed by P. citrinum. In liquid culture, maximum degradation was 96.13% phenanathrene, 86.34% fluoranthene, 72.75% pyrene, 52.25% chrysene, and 40.16% benzo(a)pyrene by P. chrysosporium. PAH degradation in spiked soil was 78.5% phenanthrene, 65.91% fluoranthene, 61.73% pyrene, 48.2% chrysene, and 26.82% benzo(a)pyrene within 28 days by P. chrysosporium. Both local fungal isolates showed potential for degradation of PAHs alone and in PAH mixtures.

Plastics are the most rapidly growing materials in terms of production and consumption. The durability, inertness, light weight, flexibility, and low cost are the key characteristics that make plastic suitable for application in various fields, including the construction, automotive, electronics, and packaging industries. Due to widespread usage in daily life and many industrial processes and operations, more than 300 million tons of plastic waste are produced globally annually. Indiscriminate use of plastics such as polyethylene causes environmental pollution and impacts human health due to irreversible changes in the ecological cycle. Due to its low biodegradability, polyethylene accumulation has recently emerged as a momentous environmental concern. The conventional methods, such as recycling or disposing of polyethylene, are exorbitant, and incineration results in the emission of toxic chemical compounds. Therefore, the most recent research progressively focused on the biodegradation of polyethylene with the application of bacteria as novel approaches to counteract plastic waste. This review summarizes the type of polyethylene and the environmental issues. It also briefly discussed the genes and enzymes of bacteria involved in the degradation of polyethylene. In addition, it attempts to address factors influencing degradation and techniques used for monitoring degradation.

Plastic needs have expanded along with population growth, industrialization, and urbanization. Plastic is unrivaled due to its useful properties and is used to prepare numerous important goods daily. This paper encloses the different kinds and applications of petroleum-based plastic and the drawbacks related to their use, i.e., its nonbiodegradability which leads to their stay in the environment for a very long time. Additionally, there are not enough effective disposal techniques for the large volume of plastic waste produced; thus, plastic garbage builds up in the environment and endangers it. Limiting the usage of plastic is necessary to protect the environment. This can be done with the help of bioplastic, which is an excellent substitute for plastic. The different kinds of bioplastic and their biodegradability in different mediums, viz., soil compost and aquatic systems, are addressed in this paper. Along this, the different areas of application of bioplastic have been explored. The present study also addresses the underlying mechanism of plastic polymerization and biodegradation and the current status of bioplastics in the global market.