Natures Cleanup Crew: Algal–Bacterial Partnerships in Heavy Metal-Polluted Waters
Fadaeipour A. Ashraf N. Abbas A. Sadvakasova A.K. Elshobary M.E. Khalid A. Yin D.-C. Ahmad F.
February 2026Elsevier B.V.
Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances
2026#21
The escalating accumulation and dissemination of heavy metals (HMs) in the environmental matrices present growing ecological and public health concerns, underscoring the significance of natural process mediating their removal from environment. Among emerging biotechnological approaches, microalgae–bacteria consortia have garnered significant attention as naturally occurring, sustainable systems for the remediation of HMs and organic pollutants in industrial and municipal wastewaters. Despite their promise, the underlying mechanisms that govern microalgae–bacteria interactions, particularly under stress from emerging pollutants and during HM removal remain inadequately understood. Two primary modes of interaction, physical associations and molecular-level communications, are fundamental to their co-adaptation, survival, and functional synergy. These interactions encompass extracellular and intracellular processes such as chemotaxis, quorum sensing, transcriptomic reprogramming, and genetic adaptation. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the dynamic interplay within microalgae–bacteria systems, emphasizing their mechanistic roles in metal sequestration. We presented recent advancements to deepen our understanding of these interactions and support the development of efficient and sustainable biotechnologies for environmental remediation and resource recovery.
genetic adaptation , Microalgae-bacteria consortia , microbial interactions , remediation , resource recovery
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Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience & Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xian, 710072, China
Open Box Farms, Inc. 3810 N Tulsa Ave. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 73112, United States
Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Al-Farabi 71, Almaty, 050038, Kazakhstan
Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta, 31527, Egypt
Aquaculture Research, Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI), Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Am Handelshafen, Bremerhaven, 27570, Germany
Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience & Biotechnology
Open Box Farms
Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology
Botany and Microbiology Department
Aquaculture Research
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