Marine Microbial Bioremediation

Increased industrialization and urbanization has polluted the marine environment, the largest ecosystem. Hence, sincere efforts must be made to decontaminate marine ecosystem for sustainable use of oceans and their bioresources. Microbial population in the marine environment plays a very crucial role in degrading, transforming and detoxifying the pollutants. This book presents contributions from leading scientists across the globe who have worked extensively on polluted marine ecosystem in removal of pollutants, mycoremediation of salinity ingressed soils, etc. This book will be useful to the scientific community, stake holders and policy makers involved in research related to environmental microbiology and marine microbiology in particular. The book will also be of benefit to the student community interested in marine microbial bioremediation.

Marine environment is the largest habitat covering approximately 70% of the total earth surface. Oceans are the main regulatory agent of earth’s climate and harbour a huge diversity of living organisms. Marine environment provide a unique ecological niche to different microbes which play a significant role in nutrient recycling as well as various environmental activities. However with rapid industrialization, urbanisation, ship trafficking and mining activities enormous amounts of waste including heavy metals, hydrocarbons, chemicals, dyes, organic load, agriculture waste, pesticides, antifoulants (e.g. tributyltin) and bacterial pathogens have accumulated in marine/estuarine environments over several decades and pose a serious threat to marine macro and micro biota and humans and therefore require special attention. However some natural marine microbes are known to possess diverse resistance mechanisms and degradation pathways to variety of toxic pollutants and these unique characteristics of marine/estuarine bacteria proved to be an ideal tool in bioremediation of contaminated marine and estuarine environmental sites. Reclamation of marine polluted environments using marine microbes has been found to be effective, affordable and ecofriendly technological solution over conventional physical and chemical methods. Objective of this book is focus on marine pollution and application of marine microorganisms in cost effective and ecofriendly methods of pollution abatement.

Microbial Biodegradation and Bioremediation brings together experts in relevant fields to describe the successful application of microbes and their derivatives for bioremediation of potentially toxic and relatively novel compounds. This single-source reference encompasses all categories of pollutants and their applications in a convenient, comprehensive package. Our natural biodiversity and environment is in danger due to the release of continuously emerging potential pollutants by anthropogenic activities. Though many attempts have been made to eradicate and remediate these noxious elements, every day thousands of xenobiotics of relatively new entities emerge, thus worsening the situation. Primitive microorganisms are highly adaptable to toxic environments, and can reduce the load of toxic elements by their successful transformation and remediation. Describes many novel approaches of microbial bioremediation including genetic engineering, metagenomics, microbial fuel cell technology, biosurfactants and biofilm-based bioremediation Introduces relatively new hazardous elements and their bioremediation practices including oil spills, military waste water, greenhouse gases, polythene wastes, and more Provides the most advanced techniques in the field of bioremediation, including insilico approach, microbes as pollution indicators, use of bioreactors, techniques of pollution monitoring, and more

Microbial Biodegradation and Bioremediation: Techniques and Case Studies for Environmental Pollution, Second Edition describes the successful application of microbes and their derivatives for bioremediation of potentially toxic and relatively novel compounds in the environment. Our natural biodiversity and environment is in danger due to the release of continuously emerging potential pollutants by anthropogenic activities. Though many attempts have been made to eradicate and remediate these noxious elements, thousands of xenobiotics of relatively new entities emerge every day, thus worsening the situation. Primitive microorganisms are highly adaptable to toxic environments, and can reduce the load of toxic elements by their successful transformation and remediation. This completely updated new edition presents many new technologies and techniques and includes theoretical context and case studies in every chapter. Microbial Biodegradation and Bioremediation: Techniques and Case Studies for Environmental Pollution, Second Edition serves as a single-source reference and encompasses all categories of pollutants and their applications in a convenient, comprehensive format for researchers in environmental science and engineering, pollution, environmental microbiology, and biotechnology. Describes many novel approaches of microbial bioremediation including genetic engineering, metagenomics, microbial fuel cell technology, biosurfactants and biofilm-based bioremediation Introduces relatively new hazardous elements and their bioremediation practices including oil spills, military waste water, greenhouse gases, polythene wastes, and more Provides the most advanced techniques in the field of bioremediation, including insilico approach, microbes as pollution indicators, use of bioreactors, techniques of pollution monitoring, and more Completely updated and expanded to include topics and techniques such as genetically engineered bacteria, environmental health, nanoremediation, heavy metals, contaminant transport, and in situ and ex situ methods Includes theoretical context and case studies within each chapter

Bioremediation, the use of microorganisms to degrade, sequester, or remove environmental contaminants, is an urgent need of our planet for protection and restoration from toxic contaminants. This book not only provides cutting edge information about bioremediation of aquatic and terrestrial habitats, but also highlights the gaps in our knowledge of

The massive Exxon Valdez oil spill prompted the Nation to take steps to improve its capability to fight oil spills. This background paper evaluates the state of knowledge in 1991 and assesses the potential of bioremediation (BR) for responding to marine oil spills. Chapters: Summary and Findings; The Fate of Oil in the Marine Environment; Biodegradation and the Chemical Nature of Petroleum; Microbial Processes and the Degradation of Petroleum; Environmental Influences on Biodegradation; General Advantages and Disadvantages of BR; Alternative BR Technologies; Environmental and Health Issues; BR in Relation to Other Response Technologies; BR Activities in the Public and Private Sectors; Regulatory Issues. Glossary. Charts and tables.