This volume focuses on biodegradation of xenobiotic compounds in soil and aqueous environments. Articles discuss the bioremediation of media contaminated with PAHs, PCBs, PCP, pesticides, explosives, bis(2)-ethyl-hexyl-phthalate, pharmaceutical residues, and alkylpyridines. Also covered is the variation of nutrient supplies for optimizing hydrocarbon biodegradation.
Bioremediation is an emerging field of environmental research. The objective of a bioremediation process is to immobilize contaminants (reactants) or to transform them into chemical products that do not pose a risk to human health and the environment. Toxicity and Waste Management Using Bioremediation provides relevant theoretical and practical frameworks and the latest empircal research findings on the remediation of contaminated soil and groundwater using bioorganisms. Focusing on effective waste treatment methodologies and management strategies that lead to improved human and environmental health, this timely publication is ideal for use by environmenal scientists, biologists, policy makers, graduate students, and scholars in the fields of environmental science, chemistry, and biology.
This authoritative text addresses the latest in bioremediation technologies for three difficult-to-treat contaminant groups: chlorinated solvents, PCBs, and PAHs - one of the most complex and expensive areas of applied remediation engineering. Bioremediation of Recalcitrant Compounds assesses innovative R&D projects developed for each contam
Healthy environment is important for any kind of biota on earth. It provides the basic elements of life such as clean water, fresh air, fertile soil and supports ecosystem of the food chain. Pollution drastically alters quality of the environment by changing the physico-chemical and biological aspects of these components. Accordingly, toxic metals, combustible and putrescible substances, hazardous wastes, explosives and petroleum products are all examples of inorganic and organic compounds that cause contaminations. Specifically, pollution of toxic and heavy metal in the environment is a growing problem worldwide, currently at an alarming rate. Toxic metals threaten the aquatic ecosystems, agriculture and ultimately human health. Traditional treatment techniques offer certain advantages such as rapid processing, ease of operation and control and flexibility. But, they could not maintain the quality of the environment due to the high operational costs of chemicals used, high energy consumption and handling costs for sludge disposal and overburden of chemical substances which irreversibly affect and destroy biodiversity, which ultimately render the soil useless as a medium for plant growth. Therefore, bioremediation and biotechnology, carried out by living assets to clean up, stabilize and restore contaminated ecosystems, have emerged as promising, environmental friendly and affordable approaches. Furthermore, the use of microbes, algae, transgenic plants and weeds adapted to stressful environments could be employed to enhance accumulation efficiency. Hence, sustainable and inexpensive processes are fast emerging as a viable alternative to conventional remediation methods, and will be most suitable for developing countries. In the current volume, we discuss pollution remediation challenges and how living organisms and the latest biotechnological techniques could be helpful in remediating the pollution in ecofriendly and sustainable ways.
The huge expansion of the chemical and petroleum industries in the twentieth century has resulted in the production of a vast array of chem ical compounds and materials that have transformed our lives. The associated large-scale manufacturing, processing and handling activi ties have caused a serious deterioration in environmental quality and created threats to human health. These negative impacts have led to responses and regulations requiring remedial action in support of envi ronmental sustainability. of biotechnological methods through bioremediation, Application has gained prominence as an option for soil remediation methods. Bioremediation is a multidisciplinary approach where biologists, chem ists, soil scientists and engineers work as team to develop and imple ment remediation processes. Bioremediation has now been used successfully to remediate many petroleum-contaminated sites. However, there are as yet no commercial technologies commonly used to reme diate the most recalcitrant contaminants. Nevertheless, bioremediation is a rapidly advancing field and new bio-based remedial technologies are continuing to emerge.
Aerobic Granular Sludge has recently received growing attention by researchers and technology developers, worldwide. Laboratory studies and preliminary field tests led to the conclusion that granular activated sludge can be readily established and profitably used in activated sludge plants, provided 'correct' process conditions are chosen. But what makes process conditions 'correct'? And what makes granules different from activated sludge flocs? Answers to these question are offered in Aerobic Granular Sludge. Major topics covered in this book include: Reasons and mechanism of aerobic granule formation Structure of the microbial population of aerobic granules Role, composition and physical properties of EPS Diffuse limitation and microbial activity within granules Physio-chemical characteristics Operation and application of granule reactors Scale-up aspects of granular sludge reactors, and case studies Aerobic Granular Sludge provides up-to-date information about a rapidly emerging new technology of biological treatment.
At the dawn of the 21st century, biotechnology is emerging as a key enabling technology for sustainable environmental protection and stewardship. Biotechnology for the Environment: Soil Remediation offers a state-of-the-art account of environmental biotechnology both in emerging and in more mature technological applications of soil remediation and cleanup of contaminated sites. Harnessing the potential of microorganisms and plants as eco-efficient and robust cleanup agents in a variety of practical situations is not only possible but is becoming widespread practice. Chapters are featured on current experience and trends in bioremediation of contaminated soil, life cycle assessment software tools for remediation planning, ex situ cleanup technologies using slurry reactors, implementation of anaerobic and aerobic in situ processes including monitored natural attenuation, complementary technologies on pesticide immobilisation in soil or humification of nitroaromatics, and, finally, phytoremediation of recalcitrant organic compounds and heavy metals. For more information on Strategy and Fundamentals, see Focus on Biotechnology Volume 3A, and for more information on Waste Water and Waste Gas Handling, see Focus on Biotechnology Volume 3C.
In this volume, experts from universities, government labs and industry share their findings on the microbiological, biochemical and molecular aspects of biodegradation and bioremediation. The text covers numerous topics, including: bioavailability, biodegradation of various pollutants, microbial community dynamics, properties and engineering of important biocatalysts, and methods for monitoring bioremediation processes. Microbial processes are environmentally compatible and can be integrated with non-biological processes to detoxify, degrade and immobilize environmental contaminants.
