{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,11]],"date-time":"2026-03-11T08:42:59Z","timestamp":1773218579241,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":0,"publisher":"Elsevier BV","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["SSRN Journal"],"abstract":"<jats:p>&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Heavy metal contamination of freshwater ecosystems poses a persistent environmental challenge because of the nonbiodegradable nature of metals, their bioaccumulation, and their adverse effects on aquatic biodiversity and human health. Microbial bioremediation has emerged as a sustainable and eco-friendly alternative to conventional physicochemical treatment methods. This review critically synthesizes recent advances in microbial bioremediation strategies for the detoxification of heavy metals in freshwater ecosystems, with an emphasis on microbial diversity, detoxification mechanisms, technological innovations, and field-scale applicability. A systematic evaluation of peer-reviewed literature revealed that diverse microbial taxa, including bacteria, fungi, algae, and engineered strains, exhibit substantial metal removal capabilities through mechanisms such as biosorption, bioaccumulation, biotransformation, and biomineralization. Compared with single-strain approaches, microbial consortia, biofilm-based systems, and synergistic plant\u2013microbe interactions consistently demonstrate enhanced multimetal detoxification efficiency and improved environmental resilience. Advances in genetic engineering, synthetic biology, nanobioremediation, and continuous treatment systems have further strengthened microbial remediation potential. Despite promising laboratory-scale outcomes, the translation of microbial bioremediation to field applications remains constrained by genetic stability, biosafety concerns, environmental complexity, scalability, and regulatory limitations. This review highlights critical knowledge gaps, emphasizes the need for standardized performance metrics and long-term field validation, and advocates for interdisciplinary integration of biotechnology, ecology, and environmental engineering. Overall, this synthesis provides a comprehensive framework to guide future research and supports the development of effective, scalable, and environmentally compatible microbial bioremediation strategies for sustainable freshwater ecosystem restoration.&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.2139\/ssrn.6142187","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,10]],"date-time":"2026-03-10T10:52:57Z","timestamp":1773139977000},"source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Microbial bioremediation strategies for heavy metal detoxification in freshwater ecosystems: Advances, mechanisms, and future prospects"],"prefix":"10.2139","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0002-4958-8071","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Gopal","family":"Anapana","sequence":"first","affiliation":[]}],"member":"78","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026]]},"container-title":["SSRN Electronic Journal"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,10]],"date-time":"2026-03-10T10:52:58Z","timestamp":1773139978000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.ssrn.com\/abstract=6142187"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026]]},"references-count":0,"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.2139\/ssrn.6142187","relation":{},"ISSN":["1556-5068"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1556-5068","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026]]}}}