Zooremediation of contaminated aquatic systems through aquaculture initiatives

The ability of animals to act in a bioremediative capacity is not widely known. Animals are rarely considered for bioremediation initiatives due largely to ethical or human health concerns. Nonetheless, specific examples in the literature reveal that many aquatic species, including species employed in aquaculture, are effective remediators of metals, microbial contaminants, hydrocarbons, nutrients and persistent organic pollutants. We introduce zoological equivalents of the definitions used in the phytoremediation literature (zooextraction, zootransformation, zoostabilisation and animal hyperaccumulation), to serve as useful benchmarks in the evaluation of candidate animal species for zooremediation initiatives. Further, we present a case study assessing the deployment of pearl oysters to remove metals and nutrients from aquatic ecosystems.