This book contains a collection of different research activities that include the biodegradation compounds with contaminant characteristics and special products of different interests as an added value product or that allows following up various biological processes. The chapters consider the degradation of contaminant compounds generated by industrial activities, i.e., oil industry by-product compounds and halogen compounds or compound generated by natural phenomena such as tsunamis, which require interventions to recover damaged soils. In addition, the book contains chapters that involve special product degradation processes such as chlorophyll, which corresponds to a biological process indicator as photosynthesis.

The book describes hazardous waste industries, sources of waste generation, characterization and treatment processes/ methods and technique and technology to deal with the treated waste as per the prescribed standard. Advanced treatment based on the microbial remediation, plant-based decontamination, rhizoremediation and nano-based remediation is also explained. Advances in treatment technology using biotechnological tools/bionanotechnology for removal of contaminants are described. This volume will help readers to develop biotechnological and nanotechnological approaches for the remediation of hazardous waste and the developed technology that can be transferred from laboratory to land and piloting to commercial scenarios. Prof. M. H. Fulekar a Professor and Joint Director (R&D), Centre of Research for Development, Parul University. Dr. Bhawana Pathak is working as an Associate Professor and Dean in School of Environment and Sustainable Development, Central University of Gujarat.

Microbial enzymes play a vital role in maintaining soil health and removing pollutants from contaminated land. Soil microflora is closely associated with maintaining soil fertility, and the use of chemical pesticides, fertilizers and other volatile sprays in agriculture threatens the health ofthe microbial population in the soil. Every single particle of healthy soil contains millions of bacteria, which interact with the nutrients available, sustaining the nutrient cycle and making this microflora an essential component of life on earth. How do microbes help in the nutrient cycle? Either by intracellular digestion of macromolecules and converting these into smaller units in their metabolic pathways, or by secreting enzymes into the extracellular environment to facilitate the conversion of complex macromolecules into micro-molecules that can be easily absorbed by other living species. To meet demands for energy and food for the growing global population, it is important to protect agricultural land from contamination and maintain its productivity. Heavy metal ions from contaminated land canenter crops, fish or aquatic organismsvia contaminated water, and theseare then taken up by the human body, where they can accumulate and alter the normal microflora. The microbiological component of the soil is ahighly complex system and is still not fully understood. How do microbes survive in the changing physicochemical environment of soil?. This book helps readers understand the mechanism, various routes of microbialsoil remediation, the interactionsof different genera, and how microbial enzymes support the sustainable restoration of healthy soil.

Wastewater Treatment: Cutting-Edge Molecular Tools, Techniques and Applied Aspects reports new findings in existing molecular biology strategies, including their limitations, challenges and potential application to remove environmental pollutants through advancements made in cutting edge tools. In addition, the book introduces new trends and advances in environmental bioremediation with thorough discussions on recent developments in this field. - Describes the application of different omics tools in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) - Describes the role of microorganisms in WWTPs - Points out the reuse of treated wastewater through emerging technologies - Includes the recovery of resources from wastewater - Emphasizes the need for the use of cutting-edge molecular tools

Increased industrial and agricultural activity has led to the contamination of the earth's soil and groundwater resources with hazardous chemicals. The presence of heavy metals, dyes, fluorides, dissolved solids, and many other pollutants used in industry and agriculture are responsible for hazardous levels of water pollution. The removal of these pollutants in water resources is challenging. Bioremediation is a new technique that employs living organisms, usually bacteria and fungi, to remove pollutants from soil and water, preferably in situ. This approach is more cost-effective than traditional techniques, such as incineration of soils and carbon filtration of water. It requires understanding how organisms consume and transform polluting chemicals, survive in polluted environments, and how they should be employed in the field. Bioremediation for Environmental Pollutants discusses the latest research in green chemistry and practices and principles involved in quality improvement of water by remediation. It covers different aspects of environmental problems and their remedies with up-to-date developments in the field of bioremediation of industrial/environmental pollutants. Volume 1 focuses on the bioremediation of heavy metals, pesticides, textile dyes removal, petroleum hydrocarbon, microplastics and plastics. This book is invaluable for researchers and scientists in environmental science, environmental microbiology, and waste management. It also serves as a learning resource for graduate and undergraduate students in environmental science, microbiology, limnology, freshwater ecology, and microbial biotechnology.

Landfilling has been and still remains an important means of municipal solid waste management but it poses a threat to the purity of the environment, especially air. In the coming years, a radical decline in the share of landfilling in waste disposal practices should not be expected. However, this is not to say that people are powerless in the face

The papers included in this Special Issue "Bioactive Molecules from Extreme Environments" provide an overview of the growing interest in species biodiversity, highlighting the importance of marine extreme environments as sources of a unique marine chemical diversity of molecules. It is worth noting that six articles in this Special Issue are focused on molecules and enzymes isolated from Antarctica. This means that there is a growing interest in this habitat, most probably due to being perceived as an important source of drug discovery. In fact, the unique environment and ecological pressures of marine polar regions might be the major drivers of a selection of unique biological communities that are able to biosynthesize new compounds with diverse biological activities. It is expected that, in the near future, more marine molecules from polar regions, as well as from other extreme habitats, will find their way into biomedical and biotechnological applications.

Microbial Ecology of Wastewater Treatment Plants presents different methods and techniques used in microbial ecology to study the interactions and evolution of microbial populations in WWTPs, particularly the new molecular tools developed in the last decades. These molecular biology-based methods (e.g. studies of DNA, RNA and proteins) provide a high resolution of information compared to traditional ways of studying microbial wastewater populations, such as microscopic examination and culture-based methods. In addition, this book addresses the ability of microorganisms to degrade environmental pollutants. - Describes application of different Omics tools in Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) - Demonstrates the role of microorganisms in WWTPs - Includes discussions on the microbial ecology of WWTPs - Covers the microbial diversity of activated sludge - Emphasizes cutting-edge molecular tools

The Handbook of Composites From Renewable Materials comprises a set of 8 individual volumes that brings an interdisciplinary perspective to accomplish a more detailed understanding of the interplay between the synthesis, structure, characterization, processing, applications and performance of these advanced materials. The handbook covers a multitude of natural polymers/ reinforcement/ fillers and biodegradable materials. Together, the 8 volumes total at least 5000 pages and offers a unique publication. This 3rd volume of the Handbook is solely focused on the Physico-Chemical and Mechanical Characterization of renewable materials. Some of the important topics include but not limited to: structural and biodegradation characterization of supramolecular PCL/HAP nano-composites; different characterization of solid bio-fillers based agricultural waste material; poly (ethylene-terephthalate) reinforced with hemp fibers; poly (lactic acid) thermoplastic composites from renewable materials; chitosan –based composite materials: fabrication and characterization; the use of flax fiber reinforced polymer (FFRP) composites in the externally reinforced structures for seismic retrofitting monitored by transient thermography and optical techniques; recycling and reuse of fiber reinforced polymer wastes in concrete composite materials; analysis of damage in hybrid composites subjected to ballistic impacts; biofiber reinforced acrylated epoxidized soybean oil (AESO) biocomposites; biopolyamides and high performance natural fiber-reinforced biocomposites; impact of recycling on the mechanical and thermo-mechanical properties of wood fiber based HDPE and PLA composites; lignocellulosic fibers composites: an overview; biodiesel derived raw glycerol to value added products; thermo-mechanical characterization of sustainable structural composites; novel pH sensitive composite hydrogel based on functionalized starch/clay for the controlled release of amoxicillin; preparation and characterization of biobased thermoset polymers from renewable resources; influence of natural fillers size and shape into mechanical and barrier properties of biocomposites; composite of biodegradable polymer blends of PCL/PLLA and coconut fiber - the effects of ionizing radiation; packaging composite materials from renewable resources; physicochemical properties of ash based geopolymer concrete; a biopolymer derived from castor oil polyurethane; natural polymer based biomaterials; physical and mechanical properties of polymer membranes from renewable resources

Volume 3 covers recent research with expanded coverage on this important area of remediation. Mycoremediation is the form of bioremediation in which fungi-based technology is used to decontaminate the environment. Fungi are among the primary saprotrophic organisms in an ecosystem, as they are efficient in the decomposition of organic matter. Wood-decay fungi, especially white rot, secretes extracellular enzymes and acids that break down lignin and cellulose. Fungi have been proven to be a very cost-effective and environmentally-friendly way for helping to remove a wide array of toxins from damaged environments or wastewater. These toxins include heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants, textile dyes, leather tanning industry chemicals and wastewater, petroleum fuels, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, pharmaceuticals and personal care products, pesticides and herbicides, in land, fresh water and marine environments. Bioremediation of toxic organics by fungi is the most sustainable and green route for cleanup of contaminated sites and we discuss the multiple modes employed by fungi for detoxification of different toxic and recalcitrant compounds including prominent fungal enzymes viz., catalases, general lipase, laccases, peroxidases and sometimes intracellular enzymes, especially the cyrochrome P450 monooxygeneses. Fungi play an important role in the biogeochemical cycling of manganese and other redox-active metals, which is related to their ability to survive radiation and other oxidative challenges. This book covers recent research with more detail on the various types of fungi and associated fungal processes used to clean up wastes and wastewaters in contaminated environments, and discusses their potential for environmental applications.