Microbial and multi-omics approaches for bioremediation of emerging contaminants: environmental impact and future engineering solutions.

Emerging contaminants (ECs) are synthetic or naturally occurring chemicals that persist in aquatic and terrestrial environments and cause significant risks to ecosystems and human health. The review focuses on major classes of ECs, including pharmaceuticals, pesticides, industrial chemicals, microplastics, and heavy metals. It systematically examines microbial remediation strategies involving bacteria, fungi, and algae, emphasising their metabolic flexibility in biodegradation and detoxification mechanisms such as bioaugmentation, bio stimulation, and rhizoremediation. It also highlights recent advances in multi-omics technologies that uncover critical genes, metabolic pathways, and regulatory networks, enabling the engineering of microbial consortia for enhanced contaminant removal. The article provides a comprehensive synthesis of microbial taxa, mechanisms, and emerging biotechnological applications, offering novel insights into eco-friendly and sustainable solutions for the effective remediation of various emerging contaminants. The investigation stands out by explaining recent advances in microbial metabolic strategies combined with multi-omics insights for a holistic understanding and future directions in bioremediation of a wide spectrum of emerging environmental contaminants.