Role of Microbes in Controlling Pollution and Cancer Risk from Steel Industry and Thermal Power Plants: Mechanisms, Applications and Future Perspectives

Abstract

Industrial sectors such as steel manufacturing and thermal power generation are major sources of heavy metals, fly ash, sulphur and nitrogen oxides, and other persistent pollutants. Traditional physical–chemical treatment methods often carry high cost and may produce secondary waste. Microbial bioremediation offers a promising alternative: microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, algae) can immobilise, transform or remove pollutants via biosorption, bioaccumulation, biotransformation, biomineralisation and bioleaching. Recent findings have also linked exposure to industrial pollutants with increased cancer incidence, highlighting an urgent need for biological mitigation. This review provides a succinct overview of microbial mechanisms relevant to steel‐industry and thermal‐power‐plant effluents, explores their potential in reducing cancer-related health risks, and highlights advances in metagenomics and engineered microbial consortia. With proper design and policy integration, microbial strategies can contribute significantly to sustainable waste-management and public-health protection in these high-impact industries.