This book covers the latest development of bioprocess technology including theoretical, numerical, and experimental approaches in biotechnology as well as green technology that bridge conventional practices and Industry 4.0. Bioprocessing is one of the key factors in several emerging industries of biofuels, used in the production of biogas, bioethanol, and biodiesel; industrial enzymes; waste management through biotechnology; new vaccines; and many more. It is hoped that the novel bioprocess and green biotechnologies presented in this book are useful in assisting the global community in working towards fulfilling the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of the United Nations.

This book reviews the assessment of industrial biotechnology products and processes from a sustainable perspective. Industrial Biotechnology is a comparably young field which comes along with high expectations with regard to sustainability issues. These stem from the promise of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and replacing fossil resources in the near or later future and using green technology, i.e. more environmentally friendly technologies. The intended economic, ecological and social benefits, however, need to be proven, resulting in a variety of challenges, both from a methodological and application point of view. In this book, specific assessment and application topics of industrial biotechnology are addressed, highlighting challenges and solutions for both developers and users of assessment methods. In twelve chapters, experts in their particular fields define the scope, characterize industrial biotechnology and show in their contributions the state of the art, challenges and prospects of assessing industrial biotechnology products and processes. The chapter 'Societal and Ethical Aspects of Industrial Biotechnology' of this book is available open access under a CC BY 4.0 license at link.springer.com

Biotechnology for Sustainable Agriculture: Emerging Approaches and Strategies is an outstanding collection of current research that integrates basic and advanced concepts of agricultural biotechnology with future development prospects. Using biotechnology with sustainable agriculture effectively contributes to gains in agricultural productivity, enhanced food security, reduced poverty and malnutrition, and more ecologically sustainable means of food production. Written by a panel of experts, this book is unique in its coverage of the broad area of biotechnology for sustainable agriculture. It includes intriguing topics and discussions of areas such as recombinant DNA technology and genetic engineering. - Identifies and explores biotechnological tools to enhance sustainability - Encompasses plant and microbial biotechnology, nanotechnology and genetic engineering - Focuses on plant biotechnology and crop improvement to increase yield and resilience - Summarizes the impact of climate change on agriculture, fisheries and livestock

A single seed is more than just the promise of a plant. In rural south India, seeds represent diverging paths toward a sustainable livelihood. Development programs and global agribusiness promote genetically modified seeds and organic certification as a path toward more sustainable cotton production, but these solutions mask a complex web of economic, social, political, and ecological issues that may have consequences as dire as death. In Cultivating Knowledge anthropologist Andrew Flachs shows how rural farmers come to plant genetically modified or certified organic cotton, sometimes during moments of agrarian crisis. Interweaving ethnographic detail, discussions of ecological knowledge, and deep history, Flachs uncovers the unintended consequences of new technologies, which offer great benefits to some—but at others’ expense. Flachs shows that farmers do not make simple cost-benefit analyses when evaluating new technologies and options. Their evaluation of development is a complex and shifting calculation of social meaning, performance, economics, and personal aspiration. Only by understanding this complicated nexus can we begin to understand sustainable agriculture. By comparing the experiences of farmers engaged with these mutually exclusive visions for the future of agriculture, Cultivating Knowledge investigates the human responses to global agrarian change. It illuminates the local impact of global changes: the slow, persistent dangers of pesticides, inequalities in rural life, the aspirations of people who grow fibers sent around the world, the place of ecological knowledge in modern agriculture, and even the complex threat of suicide. It all begins with a seed.

The tremendous progress in biology over the last half century - from Watson and Crick's elucidation of the structure of DNA to today's astonishing, rapid progress in the field of synthetic biology - has positioned us for significant innovation in chemical production. New bio-based chemicals, improved public health through improved drugs and diagnostics, and biofuels that reduce our dependency on oil are all results of research and innovation in the biological sciences. In the past decade, we have witnessed major advances made possible by biotechnology in areas such as rapid, low-cost DNA sequencing, metabolic engineering, and high-throughput screening. The manufacturing of chemicals using biological synthesis and engineering could expand even faster. A proactive strategy - implemented through the development of a technical roadmap similar to those that enabled sustained growth in the semiconductor industry and our explorations of space - is needed if we are to realize the widespread benefits of accelerating the industrialization of biology. Industrialization of Biology presents such a roadmap to achieve key technical milestones for chemical manufacturing through biological routes. This report examines the technical, economic, and societal factors that limit the adoption of bioprocessing in the chemical industry today and which, if surmounted, would markedly accelerate the advanced manufacturing of chemicals via industrial biotechnology. Working at the interface of synthetic chemistry, metabolic engineering, molecular biology, and synthetic biology, Industrialization of Biology identifies key technical goals for next-generation chemical manufacturing, then identifies the gaps in knowledge, tools, techniques, and systems required to meet those goals, and targets and timelines for achieving them. This report also considers the skills necessary to accomplish the roadmap goals, and what training opportunities are required to produce the cadre of skilled scientists and engineers needed.

This textbook on Environmental Biotechnology not only presents an unbiased overview of the practical biological approaches currently employed to address environmental problems, but also equips readers with a working knowledge of the science that underpins them. Starting with the fundamentals of biotechnology, it subsequently provides detailed discussions of global environmental problems including microbes and their interaction with the environment, xenobiotics and their remediation, solid waste management, waste water treatment, bioreactors, biosensors, biomining and biopesticides. This book also covers renewable and non-renewable bioenergy resources, biodiversity and its conservation, and approaches to monitoring biotechnological industries, genetically modified microorganism and foods so as to increase awareness. All chapters are written in a highly accessible style, and each also includes a short bibliography for further research. In summary this textbook offers a valuable asset, allowing students, young researchers and professionals in the biotechnology industry to grasp the basics of environmental biotechnology.

The American chestnut, whitebark pine, and several species of ash in the eastern United States are just a few of the North American tree species that have been functionally lost or are in jeopardy of being lost due to outbreaks of pathogens and insect pests. New pressures in this century are putting even more trees at risk. Expanded human mobility and global trade are providing pathways for the introduction of nonnative pests for which native tree species may lack resistance. At the same time, climate change is extending the geographic range of both native and nonnative pest species. Biotechnology has the potential to help mitigate threats to North American forests from insects and pathogens through the introduction of pest-resistant traits to forest trees. However, challenges remain: the genetic mechanisms that underlie trees' resistance to pests are poorly understood; the complexity of tree genomes makes incorporating genetic changes a slow and difficult task; and there is a lack of information on the effects of releasing new genotypes into the environment. Forest Health and Biotechnology examines the potential use of biotechnology for mitigating threats to forest tree health and identifies the ecological, economic, and social implications of deploying biotechnology in forests. This report also develops a research agenda to address knowledge gaps about the application of the technology.

This book brings together the most recent advances from leading experts in the burgeoning field of environmental biotechnology. The contributing chapters adopt a multidisciplinary approach related to environmental aspects of agriculture, industry, pharmaceutical sciences and drug developments from plant and microbial sources, biochemical chemical techniques/methods/protocols involved in different areas of environmental biotechnology. Book also highlights recent advancements, newly emerging technologies, and thought provoking approaches from different parts of the world. It also discusses potential future prospects associated with some frontier development of biotechnological research related to the environment. This book will be of interest to teachers, researchers, biotechnologists, capacity builders and policymakers, and will serve as additional reading material for undergraduate and graduate students of biotechnology, microbiology and environmental sciences.

Bioeconomy is an essential natural capital for life, citizen well-being, and societal prosperity. After decades of intense damaging use, pollution, and hydrological stress, Europe's ecosystems are acutely threatened with serious degradation. This situation not only means acute economic loss, but also entails catastrophic ecological, social, and cultural damage. Handbook of Research on Bioeconomy and Economic Ecosystems is a critical resource that explores the conservation of ecosystems and their biodiversity and discusses potential new challenges in terms of the economic, social, and environmental path for Europe and other regions of the world. Featuring research on topics such as bioeconomy, circular economy, and economic and social analysis, this book is ideally designed for city authorities, experts, officers, business representatives, economists, politicians, academicians, and researchers.

Environmental sustainability is one of the biggest issues faced by the mankind. Rapid & rampant industrialization has put great pressure on the natural resources. To make our planet a sustainable ecosystem, habitable for future generations & provide equal opportunity for all the living creatures we not only need to make corrections but also remediate the polluted natural resources. The low-input biotechnological techniques involving microbes and plants can provide the solution for resurrecting the ecosystems. Bioremediation and biodegradation can be used to improve the conditions of polluted soil and water bodies. Green energy involving biofuels have to replace the fossil fuels to combat pollution & global warming. Biological alternatives (bioinoculants) have to replace harmful chemicals for maintaining sustainability of agro-ecosystems. The book will cover the latest developments in environmental biotech so as to use in clearing and maintaining the ecosystems for sustainable future.