Microbial and Biotechnological Interventions in Bioremediation and Phytoremediation

The introduction of contaminants, due to rapid urbanisation and  anthropogenic activities, into the environment causes unsteadiness,  distress to the physico-chemical systems including living organisms,  which possibly is threatening the dynamics of nature as well as the soil  biology by producing certain xenobiotics. Hence, there is an immediate  global demand for the diminution of such contaminants and xenobiotics  which can otherwise adversely affect the living organisms. Some toxic  xenobiotics include synthetic organochlorides such as polycyclic  aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and some fractions of crude oil and coal.

The  advancements in microbiology and biotechnology has lead to the launch  of microbial biotechnology as a separate area of research and  contributed dramatically to the development of the areas like  agriculture, environment, biopharmaceutics, fermented foods, etc. The  evolution of new metabolic pathways from natural metabolic cycles has  enabled the microorganisms to degrade almost all different complex and  resistant xenobiotics found on Earth. Hence, microbes stand an  imperative, efficient, green and economical alternative to conventional  treatment technologies.

This book comprises chapters dealing with  various bioremediation strategies with the help of different groups of  microorganisms along with detailed graphical/ diagrammatical  representations. It also focuses on the use of microbial biotechnology  and highlights the recent developments in microbial biotechnology in the  area of agriculture and environment. Furthermore, it contains a  detailed comprehensive account for the microbial treatment technologies  from unsustainable to sustainable which includes chapters prepared by  professionals, several researchers, scientists, graduate students and  postdoctoral fellows across the world with expertise in environmental  microbiology, biotechnology, bioremediation, and environmental  engineering. The research presented also highlights some of the  significantly important microbial species involved in remediation, the  physiology, biochemistry and the mechanisms of remediation by various  microbes, and suggestions for future improvement of bioremediation  technology.

This book would serve as a quick reference book for  graduate and postgraduate students pursuing their study in any branch of  life sciences, microbiology, health sciences and environmental  biotechnology as well as researchers and scientists working in  laboratories and industries involved in research related to  microbiology, environmental biotechnology and allied researches.