Increased awareness surrounding environmental protection has prompted the development of more ecofriendly technologies. This book provides useful information on technologies based upon the use of biological agents for environmental clean-up, including bacteria, yeast, fungi, algae, and plants. Some chapters refer to the direct application of products derived from plants and microorganisms for designing strategies of environmental remediation. The combination of strategies helps in efficient removal of pollutants generated from anthropogenic activities with minimal environmental impact. This book is meant for professionals involved in environmental technology and waste management.

Integrative Strategies for Bioremediation of Environmental Contaminants, Volume Two: Avenues to a Cleaner Society focuses on the exploitation of various biological treatment technologies and their use to treat toxic contaminants present in industrial effluent to restore contaminated sites. The book includes coverage of combined treatments of microbes for reuse of wastewater and contaminated soil to successfully achieve eco-restoration, environment protection and sustainable development. In 14 chapters, this reference compiles current and advanced biotechnologies as well as future directions for research. This is a valuable resource for researchers in microbiology, biotechnology, environmental engineering and environmental science, and all those who wish to broaden their knowledge in the field of applied microbiology to develop sustainable waste management. Provides comprehensive information on state-of-art applications of biochar, microbes and their synergistic use for wastewater/industrial effluent treatment and environment protection Summarizes current uses of biochar, microbes and dead biomass for dye decolorization, degradation, and removal of heavy metals which may play a key role in achieving a more productive and sustainable environment Explores various aspects of biological methods for contaminant removal for better insights into basic and advanced biotechnological applications

This book presents a comprehensive collection of various in situ and ex-situ soil remediation regimes that employ natural or genetically modified microbes, plants, and animals for the biodegradation of toxic compounds or hazardous waste into simpler non-toxic products. These techniques are demonstrated to be functionally effective in connection with physical, chemical, and biological strategies. Soil and water contamination through heavy metals, hydrocarbons and radioactive wastes is of global concern, as these factors have cumulative effects on the environment and human health through food-chain contamination. The book discusses the utilization of algae, plants, plant-associated bacteria, fungi (endophytic or rhizospheric) and certain lower animals for the sustainable bioremediation of organic and inorganic pollutants. In addition, it explores a number of more recent techniques like biochar and biofilms for carbon sequestration, soil conditioning and remediation, and water remediation. It highlights a number of recent advances in nanobioremediation, an emerging technology based on biosynthetic nanoparticles. Lastly, it presents illustrative case studies and highlights the successful treatment of polluted soils by means of these strategies.

POLLUTANTS AND WATER MANAGEMENT Pollutants and Water Management: Resources, Strategies and Scarcity delivers a balanced and comprehensive look at recent trends in the management of polluted water resources. Covering the latest ­practical and theoretical aspects of polluted water management, the distinguished academics and authors emphasize indigenous practices of water resource management, the scarcity of clean water, and the future of the water system in the context of an increasing urbanization and globalization. The book details the management of contaminated water sites, including heavy metal contaminations in surface and subsurface water sources. It details a variety of industrial activities that typically pollute water, such as those involving crude oils and dyes. In its discussion of recent trends in abatement strategies, Pollutants and Water Management includes an exploration of the application of microorganisms, like bacteria, actinomycetes, fungi, and cyanobacteria, for the management of environmental contaminants. Readers will also discover a wide variety of other topics on the conservation of water sources including: The role of government and the public in the management of water resource pollution The causes of river system pollution and potential future scenarios in the abatement of river pollution Microbial degradation of organic pollutants in various water bodies The advancement in membrane technology used in water treatment processes Lead contamination in groundwater and recent trends in abatement strategies for it Highly polluting industries and their effects on surrounding water resources Perfect for graduate and postgraduate students and researchers whose focus is on recent trends in abatement strategies for pollutants and the application of microorganisms for the management of environmental contaminants, Pollutants and Water Management: Resources, Strategies and Scarcity also has a place in the libraries of environmentalists whose work involves the management and conservation of polluted sites.

This book offers a comprehensive overview of the environmental challenges posed by emerging pollutants and the innovative strategies available for their management. Divided into 16 chapters, the book begins with an introduction to the origin and management of both inorganic and organic contaminants, offering a detailed examination of their sources and the potential risks they pose to ecosystems. It also explores current regulations and management practices aimed at mitigating their impact. In the following chapters, experts in the field cover topics such as conventional wastewater treatment methods for the removal of emerging pollutants, biotechnology-based strategies for the removal of emerging contaminants, microbial electro-deionization technologies, and algae-based bioremediation. Particular attention is given to specific remediation techniques, including phytomediated approaches, microbial fuel cells, and the novel application of microbial endophytes. Furthermore, the book explores the potential of nano-bioremediation and enzyme immobilization technologies, shedding light on their mechanism of interaction with nanomaterials and microbes for efficient treatment. Other chapters highlight the role of graphene-based nanocomposites, bio-based porous materials, and biosurfactants in the remediation of emerging pollutants, showcasing their unique capabilities and potential applications. In the final chapter of the book, readers will discover more about the impacts of emerging pollutants on environmental microbial communities and the consequential public health concerns that arise from their presence. Given its breadth, this book is a valuable resource for environmental scientists, policymakers, and industry professionals seeking to mitigate the ecological risks associated with these contaminants.

The abundance of organic pollutants found in wastewater affect urban surface waters. Traditional wastewater management technologies focus on the removal of suspended solids, nutrients and bacteria, however, new pollutants such as synthetic or naturally occurring chemicals are often not monitored in the environment despite having the potential to enter the environment and cause adverse ecological and human health effects. Collectively referred to as "emerging contaminants," they are mostly derived from domestic activities and occur in trace concentrations ranging from pico to micrograms per liter. Environmental contaminants are resistant to conventional wastewater treatment processes and most of them remain unaffected, causing contamination of receiving water. This in turn leads to the need for advanced wastewater treatment processes capable of removing environmental contaminants to ensure safe fresh water sources. This book provides an up-to-date overview of the current bioremediation strategies, including their limitations, challenges and their potential application to remove environmental pollutants. It also introduces the latest trends and advances in environmental bioremediation, and presents the state-of-the-art in biological and chemical wastewater treatment processes. As such, it will appeal to researchers and policy-makers, as well as undergraduate and graduate environmental sciences students.

Bioremediation refers to the clean‐up of pollution in soil, groundwater, surface water, and air using typically microbiological processes. It uses naturally occurring bacteria and fungi or plants to degrade, transform or detoxify hazardous substances to human health or the environment. For bioremediation to be effective, microorganisms must enzymatically attack the pollutants and convert them to harmless products. As bioremediation can be effective only where environmental conditions permit microbial growth and action, its application often involves the management of ecological factors to allow microbial growth and degradation to continue at a faster rate. Like other technologies, bioremediation has its limitations. Some contaminants, such as chlorinated organic or high aromatic hydrocarbons, are resistant to microbial attack. They are degraded either gradually or not at all, hence, it is not easy to envisage the rates of clean-up for bioremediation implementation. Bioremediation represents a field of great expansion due to the important development of new technologies. Among them, several decades on metagenomics expansion has led to the detection of autochthonous microbiota that plays a key role during transformation. Transcriptomic guides us to know the expression of key genes and proteomics allow the characterization of proteins that conduct specific reactions. In this book we show specific technologies applied in bioremediation of main interest for research in the field, with special attention on fungi, which have been poorly studied microorganisms. Finally, new approaches in the field, such as CRISPR-CAS9, are also discussed. Lastly, it introduces management strategies, such as bioremediation application for managing affected environment and bioremediation approaches. Examples of successful bioremediation applications are illustrated in radionuclide entrapment and retardation, soil stabilization and remediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, phenols, plastics or fluorinated compounds. Other emerging bioremediation methods include electro bioremediation, microbe-availed phytoremediation, genetic recombinant technologies in enhancing plants in accumulation of inorganic metals, and metalloids as well as degradation of organic pollutants, protein-metabolic engineering to increase bioremediation efficiency, including nanotechnology applications are also discussed.