The tanning industry is a major source of pollution worldwide, particularly in developing countries. The major public concern over tanneries has traditionally been about odours and water pollution from untreated discharges. Important poll- ants associated with the tanning industry include chlorides, tannins, chromium, sulphate and sulphides as well as trace organic chemicals and, increasingly, synthetic chemicals such as pesticides, dyes and finishing agents, as well as solvents. These substances are frequently toxic and persistent, and affect both human and environmental health. The primary focus in this book was to identify the recently developed ecoto- cological analytical trends (rapid, simple and inexpensive) related to the tanning industry on terrestrial and aquatic systems. The resultant research data reported, incorporates both field related and laboratory based techniques to address under- ing environmental problems in the tanning sector. The book also includes a chapter to explore the occupational hazards in a tannery environment caused by conta- nated dust. It was important to note that an optical set-up involving microscopy and digital imaging techniques was initially used to determine dust particle numbers and size distributions as a preamble to ascertaining the dust toxicity levels.

Achieving environmental sustainability with rapid industrialization is a major challenge of current scenario worldwide. As globally evident, industries are the key economic drivers, but are also the major polluters as untreated/partially treated effluents discharged from the industries is usually thrown into the aquatic resources and also dumped unattended. Industrial effluents are considered as the major sources of environmental pollution as these contains highly toxic and hazardous pollutants, which reaches far off areas due to the medium of dispersion and thus, create ecological nuisance and health hazards in living beings. Hence, there is an urgent to find ecofriendly solution to deal with industrial waste, and develop sustainable methods for treating/detoxifying wastewater before its release into the environment. Being a low cost and eco-friendly clean technology, bioremediation can be a sustainable alternative to conventional remediation technologies for treatment and management of industrial wastes to protect public health and environment. Therefore, this book (Volume I) covers the bioremediation of different industrial wastes viz. tannery wastewater, pulp and paper mill wastewater, distillery wastewater, acid mine tailing wastes, and many more; which are lacking in a comprehensive manner in previous literature at one place. A separate chapter dedicated to major industries and type of waste produced by them is also included. This book will appeal to students, researchers, scientists, industry persons and professionals in field of microbiology, biotechnology, environmental sciences, eco-toxicology, environmental remediation and waste management and other relevant areas, who aspire to work on the biodegradation and bioremediation of industrial wastes for environmental safety.

This book discusses the natural and anthropogenic determinants of the environment and their impact on human health. It throws light on the perspectives of climate change with case studies from Australia, India, Italy, and Latin America. Themes covered are ecology of antibiotic resistant microorganisms, pesticide and heavy metal (arsenic) problems in natural environment; molecular advances in understanding of microbial interactions; ecological studies of human/animal health and diseases; food security, technological developments and more. The various chapters incorporate both theoretical and applied aspects and may serve as baseline information for future research through which significant development is possible.

Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology attempts to provide concise, critical reviews of timely advances, philosophy and significant areas of accomplished or needed endeavor in the total field of xenobiotics, in any segment of the environment, as well as toxicological implications.

Wastewater pollution is a major issue in the context of the future circular economy because all matter should be ultimately reused, calling for efficient depollution techniques. This book present timely reviews on the treatment of wastewater contaminated by organic pollutants, with focus on aerobic granulation and degradation. Organic pollutants include microplastics, phthalates, humic acids, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, pharmaceutical drugs and metabolites, plastics, oil spills, petroleum hydrocarbons, personal care products, tannery waste, dyes and pigments.

Bioremediation for Environmental Sustainability: Toxicity, Mechanisms of Contaminants Degradation, Detoxification and Challenges introduces pollution and toxicity profiles of various organic and inorganic contaminants, including mechanisms of toxicity, degradation, and detoxification by microbes and plants, and their bioremediation approaches for environmental sustainability. The book also covers many advanced technologies in the field of bioremediation and phytoremediation, including electro-bioremediation, microbial fuel cells, nano-bioremediation, constructed wetlands, phytotechnologies, and many more, which are lacking in other competitive titles existing in the market. The book includes updated information, as well as future directions for research, in the field of bioremediation of industrial wastes. This book is a reference for students, researchers, scientists, and professionals in the fields of microbiology, biotechnology, environmental sciences, eco-toxicology, environmental remediation, and waste management, especially those who aspire to work on the biodegradation and bioremediation of industrial wastes and environmental pollutants for environmental sustainability. Environmental safety and sustainability with rapid industrialization is one of the major challenges worldwide. Industries are the key drivers in the world economy, but these are also the major polluters due to discharge of potentially toxic and hazardous wastes containing various organic and inorganic pollutants, which cause environmental pollution and severe toxic effects in living beings. - Introduces pollution and toxicity profiles of environmental contaminants and industrial wastes, including oil refinery wastewater, distillery wastewater, tannery wastewater, textile wastewater, mine tailing wastes, plastic wastes, and more - Describes underlying mechanisms of degradation and detoxification of emerging organic and inorganic contaminants with enzymatic roles - Focuses on recent advances and challenges in bioremediation and phytoremediation, including microbial enzymes, biosurfactants, microalgae, biofilm, archaea, genetically engineered organisms, and more - Describes how microbes and plants can be successfully applied for the remediation of potentially toxic industrial wastes and chemical pollutants to protect the environment and public health

Waste Biorefinery: Integrating Biorefineries for Waste Valorisation provides the various options available for several renewable waste streams. The book includes scientific and technical information pertaining to the most advanced and innovative processing technologies used for the conversion of biogenic waste to biofuels, energy products and biochemicals. In addition, the book reports on recent developments and new achievements in the field of biochemical and thermo-chemical methods and the necessities and potential generated by different kinds of biomass in presumably more decentralized biorefineries. The book presents an assortment of case-studies from developing and developed countries pertaining to the use of sustainable technologies for energy recovery from different waste matrices. Advantages and limitations of different technologies are also discussed by considering the local energy demands, government policies, environmental impacts, and education in bioenergy. - Provides information on the most advanced and innovative processes for biomass conversion - Covers information on biochemical and thermo-chemical processes and products development on the principles of biorefinery - Includes information on the integration of processes and technologies for the production of biofuels, energy products and biochemicals - Demonstrates the application of various processes with proven case studies

The book aims to provide a comprehensive view of advanced environmental approaches for wastewater treatment, heavy metal removal, pesticide degradation, dye removal, waste management, microbial transformation of environmental contaminants etc. With advancements in the area of Environmental Biotechnology, researchers are looking for the new opportunities to improve quality standards and environment. Recent technologies have given impetus to the possibility of using renewable raw materials as a potential source of energy. Cost intensive and eco-friendly technology for producing high quality products and efficient ways to recycle waste to minimize environmental pollution is the need of hour. The use of bioremediation technologies through microbial communities is another viable option to remediate environmental pollutants, such as heavy metals, pesticides and dyes etc. Since physico-chemical technologies employed in the past have many potential drawbacks including higher cost, and lower sustainability. So there is need of efficient biotechnological alternatives to overcome increasing environmental pollution. Hence, there is a need for environmental friendly technologies that can reduce the pollutants causing adverse hazards on humans and surrounding environment.

The scope of the study reported in this book entails understanding the constraints and providing potential diagnostics to Africa’s leather sector, which is otherwise globally, one of the most lucrative agro-based industries in the world, estimated at over US$ 130Billion. One of the principle core thematic aspects of the leather sector is, characteristically, its long value chain with multiple socio-economic dimensions. These entail employability, creation of wealth, gender parity and rural development. Thusly, in an effort to stimulate scholarly discussion, the study argues that preemptively, the problems facing the leather value chain stratums are high losses, low value addition initiatives and unexplored opportunities that are synonymous with the Africa’s leather industry. Indeed, the results of the research conceptualized opportunity management as a critical panacea towards value addition strategy for the leather sector in developing countries. In dealing with this concept, the book evaluated the various value chains phases and identified nine specific issues and variables drawn between value addition and the main leather strata. With this background, the study posed a main question and four sub questions to closely expound on related hypotheses and in lieu pursue four thematic aspects: trade, productivity, competitiveness, and innovation covered in twelve chapters of the book. Conclusively, the book manages to successfully conceptualize as a novelty that opportunity management is integral towards developing a leather value addition strategy for the developing countries with particular emphasis to Africa.

Energy from Toxic Organic Waste for Heat and Power Generation presents a detailed analysis on using scientific methods to recover and reuse energy from Toxic waste. Dr. Barik and his team of expert authors recognize that there has been a growing rise in the quantum and diversity of toxic waste materials produced by human activity, and as such there is an increasing need to adopt new methods for the safe regeneration and minimization of waste produce around the world. It is predominately broken down into 5 sections: - The first section provides and overview on the Toxic waste generation addressing the main components for the imbalance in ecosystem derived from human activity - The second section sets out ways in which toxic waste can be managed through various methods such as chemical treatment, cracking and Electro-beam treatment - The final 3 sections deliver an insight in to how energy can be extracted and recycled into power from waste energy and the challenges that these may offer This book is essential reference for engineering industry workers and students seeking to adopt new techniques for reducing toxic waste and in turn extracting energy from it whilst complying with pollution control standards from across the world. - Presents techniques which can be adopted to reduce toxic organic waste while complying with regulations and extract useable energy it - Includes case studies of various global industries such as nuclear, medical and research laboratories to further enhance the readers understanding of efficient planning, toxic organic waste reduction methods and energy conversion techniques - Analyses methods of extracting and recycling energy from toxic organic waste products