Microbial Machines

Around 2004, members of governmental and nongovernmental organizations, science institutes, and private companies throughout India began brainstorming and then experimenting with small-scale treatment systems that could produce usable water from wastewater. Through detailed case studies, Microbial Machines describes how residents, workers, and scientists interact with technology, science, and engineering during the processes of treatment and reuse. Using a human-machine-microbe framework, Kelly Alley explores the ways that people's sensory perceptions of water--including disgust--are dynamic and how people use machines and microbes to digest wastewater. A better understanding of how the human and nonhuman interact in these processes will enable people to generate more effective methods for treating and reusing wastewater. While decentralized wastewater treatment systems may not be a perfect solution, they alleviate resource stress in regions that are particularly hard hit by climate change. These case studies have broad relevance for solving similar problems in many other places around the world.

The theory of Co-Corporeality is based on a conception of the built environment as a biological entity that opens up a space for coexistence and interaction between humans and microbial life. Based on design-led research, this book explores how we can develop environments for a multispecies world. It focuses on the agency of both human and nonhuman actors. New sensor tools enable observation of and interaction between these different actors. Co-Corporeality links microbiology to material science, artificial intelligence, and architecture. The focus is on how microbial activity can create new protoarchitectural materials, how living systems can be integrated into architecture and cooperate along different time scales.

Microbial Diversity in the Genomic Era presents insights on the techniques used for microbial taxonomy and phylogeny, along with their applications and respective pros and cons. Though many advanced techniques for the identification of any unknown bacterium are available in the genomics era, a far fewer number of the total microbial species have been discovered and identified to date. The assessment of microbial taxonomy and biosystematics techniques discovered and practiced in the current genomics era with suitable recommendations is the prime focus of this book. Discusses the techniques used for microbial taxonomy and phylogeny with their applications and respective pros and cons Reviews the evolving field of bacterial typing and the genomic technologies that enable comparative analysis of multiple genomes and the metagenomes of complex microbial environments Provides a uniform, standard methodology for species designation

Around 2004, members of governmental and nongovernmental organizations, science institutes, and private companies throughout India began brainstorming and then experimenting with small-scale treatment systems that could produce usable water from wastewater. Through detailed case studies, Microbial Machines describes how residents, workers, and scientists interact with technology, science, and engineering during the processes of treatment and reuse. Using a human-machine-microbe framework, Kelly Alley explores the ways that people's sensory perceptions of water—including disgust—are dynamic and how people use machines and microbes to digest wastewater. A better understanding of how the human and nonhuman interact in these processes will enable people to generate more effective methods for treating and reusing wastewater. While decentralized wastewater treatment systems may not be a perfect solution, they alleviate resource stress in regions that are particularly hard hit by climate change. These case studies have broad relevance for solving similar problems in many other places around the world.

Microbial Resource Technologies for Sustainable Development describes the production and uses of microbial cells and metabolites and reviews the microbial resource technologies associated with providing sustainable solutions options in future endeavors in managing microbial resources. The book includes the recent development and scientific demonstrations of microbial technologies in the relationship between microbes and the environment, focusing on its effective resource management to achieve agricultural and environmental sustainability. Topics covered in the book include recent applications and exploration of the development of Marine Microbial Technologies for marine resources, soil microbes as biopolymers for enhancing mechanical properties of soil, and more. Other topics discussed include rhizosphere microbiome for enhancement of the cereal crops, endophytic fungal communities in crops grown under different farming systems, microbiota of termite for lignocellulose breakdown, microbial consortium technologies to produce biomethane from waste effluents, microbial technologies for sustainable food additives production, biological synthesis of the nanoparticles, fungal cellulases, and efficient biofuel and acetic acid production using waste residues with an emphasis on the commercial exploitation of such microbial technologies. Discusses the enhancement of plant production through growth-promoting microbes Considers microbial degradation and environmental management of wastes Covers microbial applications in biofuel and bioenergy production Explores plant-microbe interactions for removal of heavy metals from contaminated areas Explains engineered microorganisms for effective bioremediation Describes potential indigenous/effective microbes for food and industrial treatment processes Presents research on microbes for sustainable agricultural practices

Microbial technology using live, naturally occurring microorganisms in industrial wastewater treatment, is the most effective and innovative method to degrade environmental pollutants such as heavy metals, radionuclides, xenobiotic compounds, organic waste, and pesticides, or to prevent their contamination of the environment. The technology includes several techniques such as biostimulation, biogeneration, bioaccumulation, and biosorption. This book describes the limitations and challenges associated with some generally accepted bioremediation strategies and evaluates the possible applications of these corrective strategies to eliminate toxic pollutants from the environment. The environmental contamination by both natural and anthropogenic sources is, nowadays, an international concern. To decontaminate soils, sediments, and water polluted by anthropogenic activities, scientists and technologists have developed various technologies over the years; however, not only do we have to pay a high cost for physical and chemical environmental technologies but also they sometimes are not ecological or safe. Therefore, we have realized the necessity to develop viable technologies that use microbes and plants to avoid these issues. This book is designed for engineers, scientists, and other professionals who are seeking introductory and advanced knowledge of the principles of nanotechnology, and those who work or are interested in the environmental microbiology or bioremediation field.

New and Future Developments in Microbial Biotechnology and Bioengineering: Microbial Secondary Metabolites Biochemistry and Applications examines the areas of biotechnology and chemical engineering, covering aspects of plants, bacteria and machines, and using microbes as factories. The book is aimed at undergraduates, post-graduates and researchers studying microbial secondary metabolites, and is an invaluable reference source for biochemical engineers working in biotechnology, manipulating microbes, and developing new uses for bacteria and fungi. The applications of secondary metabolites in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, diagnostics and medical device development are also extensively covered. The book integrates the aforementioned frontline branches into an interdisciplinary research work to satisfy those working in biotechnology, chemical engineering, alternative fuel development, diagnostics and pharmaceuticals. Chapters related to important research work on applications of microbial secondary metabolites are written by specialists in the various disciplines from the international community. Compiles the latest developments in the area of microbial secondary metabolites Authored by the top international researchers in this area Includes information related to nearly all areas of a microbial secondary metabolites system

The single most comprehensive resource for environmental microbiology Environmental microbiology, the study of the roles that microbes play in all planetary environments, is one of the most important areas of scientific research. The Manual of Environmental Microbiology, Fourth Edition, provides comprehensive coverage of this critical and growing field. Thoroughly updated and revised, the Manual is the definitive reference for information on microbes in air, water, and soil and their impact on human health and welfare. Written in accessible, clear prose, the manual covers four broad areas: general methodologies, environmental public health microbiology, microbial ecology, and biodegradation and biotransformation. This wealth of information is divided into 18 sections each containing chapters written by acknowledged topical experts from the international community. Specifically, this new edition of the Manual Contains completely new sections covering microbial risk assessment, quality control, and microbial source tracking Incorporates a summary of the latest methodologies used to study microorganisms in various environments Synthesizes the latest information on the assessment of microbial presence and microbial activity in natural and artificial environments The Manual of Environmental Microbiology is an essential reference for environmental microbiologists, microbial ecologists, and environmental engineers, as well as those interested in human diseases, water and wastewater treatment, and biotechnology.