Bioremediation of Soil Contaminated with Arsenic

Human-industrial activity causes a remarkable increase in the arsenic (As) environmental concentrations, with a potential impact in plant and animal health, and may cause severe losses in biodiversity. This metalloid is bioaccumulative through the food chain and highly associated with different types of cancers. To overcome the inherent drawbacks of physicochemical removal techniques, biological treatments arose as adequate and cost-effective remediation alternatives for As pollution. An interest arises from the endophytes, which live inside the host plant and have been studied for their plant growth-promoting properties, production of bioactive molecules, biocontrol processes, and As detoxification. The integration of bioremediation with multiple omic technologies provides, moreover, innovative approaches to handle As remediation. The aim of this review is to show the latest knowledge, advances, and applications in arsenic bioremoval. We will focus on the following items: (1) human and environmental health, (2) biological tools for remediation with an emphasis in plants-microbiome interactions and omic technologies, (3) advances in As speciation analysis, and (4) As biosensors.