Potential and future perspectives of thraustochytrids in bioremediation

Thraustochytrids are saltwater heterotrophic protists, whose main ecological role is organic matter decomposition. These protists have gained notoriety in biotechnology, mainly for their ability to accumulate lipids with high commercial value such as squalene, carotenoids and polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially docosahexaenoic acid. Research on thraustochytrids has been almost exclusively focused on culture optimization for lipid obtention. Considering their ecological role, an enormous potential in bioremediation may not have been fully explored. Thraustochytrids can tolerate, metabolize, adsorb and degrade several environmental pollutants, even very recalcitrant ones like tar balls or aromatic compounds. Additionally, there is evidence of their ability to metabolize a wide array of substrates. Several degrading enzymatic activities with industrial applications have also been described. This review aims to systematize published data on thraustochytrids regarding bioremediation, highlighting their potential in waste treatment and revalorization as they represent a unique opportunity within a biorefinery approach.