Microbiome Assisted Bioremediation

Microbiome-Assisted Bioremediation: Rehabilitating Agricultural Soils provides a complete reference to the opportunities, technologies and challenges of remediating contaminated soils through use of microbial means. Environmental pollution and human exposure associated with heavy metals are attributed to anthropogenic activities such as mining, industrial wastes, and metal containing compounds in domestic and agricultural systems. Microbial remediation has appeared as a promising approach to lessen the heavy metal concentration in the environment due to their sequestration and transforming ability of xenobiotic compounds. Microbial bioremediation is an efficient, economical, and environmentally friendly procedure that reduces the cost of the cleanup process associated with heavy and toxic metal contamination. Addressing the foundational aspects of microbe-based approaches, this book provides a valuable gateway resource for those entering the field, as well as providing in-depth insights into the various tools and techniques for real-world application. Emphasizes microbiome-assisted biodegradation of toxic substances in soil Includes complete descriptions of the most recent and advanced techniques Addresses the use of GMOs, nanotechnologies and in silico studies Outlines developments in the microbial degradation of synthetic plastics in soil and the biodegradation enzymes

Bio- and Phyto-remediation have been seen in the past by scientists as two independent “green technologies”, employing separately either microorganisms (bacteria and/or fungi), or plants to reclaim polluted soil, water and air. However, in the last decade, the idea has emerged that microorganisms and plants can and have to work synergistically to obtain better results in terms of reclamation performances; hence these two technologies have to be considered the different sides of the same coin. Therefore a single term can be used to refer to both of these technologies: bio-remediation. The Research Topic articles, collected in this eBook, report the isolation and characterization of bacteria, fungi and endophytes with Plant Growth Promoting features. Moreover, some of these microorganisms have been added to plants to ameliorate their health status when grown in polluted soils and waters; or to realize and improve the water reclamation performance of Constructed Wetlands, a very interesting application of the bio-remediation process.

This volume explores current knowledge and methods used to study soil organisms and to attribute their activity to wider ecosystem functions. Biodiversity not only responds to environmental change, but has also been shown to be one of the key drivers of ecosystem function and service delivery. Soil biodiversity in tree-dominated ecosystems is also governed by these principles, the structure of soil biological communities is clearly determined by environmental, as well as spatial, temporal and hierarchical factors. Global environmental change, together with land-use change and ecosystem management by humans, impacts the aboveground structure and composition of tree ecosystems. Due to existing knowledge of the close links between the above- and belowground parts of terrestrial ecosystems, we know that soil biodiversity is also impacted. However, very little is known about the nature of these impacts; effects on the overall level of biodiversity, the magnitude and diversity of functions soil biodiversity generates, but also on the present and future stability of tree ecosystems and soils. Even though much remains to be learned about the relationships between soil biodiversity and tree ecosystem functionality, it is clear that better effort needs to be made to describe and understand key processes which take place in soils and are driven by soil biota.

Discover the positive and helpful contributions made by microorganisms to various areas of human health, food preservation and production, biotechnology, industry, environmental clean up and sustainable agriculture. In Good Microbes in Medicine, Food Production, Biotechnology, Bioremediation and Agriculture, a team of distinguished researchers delivers a comprehensive and eye-opening look at the positive side of bacteria and other microbes. The book explores the important and positive roles played by microorganisms. Divided into five sections, Good Microbes examines the use of microorganisms and the microbiome in human health, food production, industrial use, bioremediation, and sustainable agriculture. Coverage spans from food allergies, skin disorders, microbial food preservation and fermentation of various beverages and food products, also from an ethnical point of view to beneficial use of microbes in biotechnology, industry, bioeconomy, environmental remediation such as resource recovery, microbial-based environmental clean-up, plant-microbe interactions in biorestauration, biological control of plant diseases, and biological nitrogen fixation. Provides basic knowledge on bacterial biology, biochemistry, genetics and genomics of beneficial microbes Includes practical discussions of microbial biotechnology, including the contribution of microbial biotechnology to sustainable development goals Features a comprehensive introduction and extensive index to facilitate the search for key terms. Perfect for scientists, researchers and anyone with an interest in beneficial microbes, Good Microbes in Medicine, Food Production, Biotechnology, Bioremediation and Agriculture is also an indispensable resource for microbiology graduate students, applied microbiologists and policy makers.

The introduction of contaminants, due to rapid urbanization and anthropogenic activities into the environment, causes distress to the physio-chemical systems including living organisms, which possibly is threatening the dynamics of nature as well as the soil biology by producing certain xenobiotics. Hence, there is an immediate global demand for the diminution of such contaminants and xenobiotics that can otherwise adversely affect the living organisms. Some toxic xenobiotics include synthetic organochlorides such as PAHs and some fractions of crude oil and coal. Over time, microbial remediation processes have been accelerated to produce better, more eco-friendly, and more biodegradable solutions for complete dissemination of these xenobiotic compounds. The advancements in microbiology and biotechnology led to the launch of microbial biotechnology as a separate area of research and contributed dramatically to the development of areas like agriculture, environment, biopharmaceutics, fermented foods, and more. The Handbook of Research on Microbial Remediation and Microbial Biotechnology for Sustainable Soil provides a detailed comprehensive account for microbial treatment technologies, bioremediation strategies, biotechnology, and the important microbial species involved in remediation. The chapters focus on recent developments in microbial biotechnology in the areas of agriculture and environment and the physiology, biochemistry, and the mechanisms of remediation along with a future outlook. This book is ideal for scientists, biologists, academicians, students, and researchers in the fields of life sciences, microbiology, environmental science, environmental engineering, biotechnology, agriculture, and health sciences.

Improve the quality and productivity of your crops through selecting positive and effective interactive core-microbiomes As microbial cells are present in overwhelming numbers in our soil, it is perhaps inevitable that microbes are found extensively in plant and animal tissue. The role of microbiomes on the regulation of physiological processes in animals has been extensively researched in recent years, but the overarching role of the plant microbiome has yet to be discovered. Core Microbiome: Improving Crop Quality and Productivity is an attempt to remediate some of that deficit, as the first book to summarize feature of microbial communities that make up the plant microbiome. There is substantial evidence that these communities are crucial in disease control, enhanced nutrient acquisition, and stress tolerance—a feature more important than ever due to climate change. A further focus on improving how core microbiomes interact so that they are both phenotypically and genotypically very adaptive and sustainable will allow the reader to improve the quality and productivity of crops so that they may be considered sustainable agriculture. Core Microbiome readers will also find: Descriptions of the basic structure of core microbiomes and their functions across various habitats New and cutting-edge trends and technological innovations highlighted that use core microbiomes to harness plant microbiome interaction The structure, classification, and biotechnological applications of aquatic core microbiomes, in addition to the material on plant microbiomes As a broad introduction to the interaction of core microbiome and plant productivity, Core Microbiome is ideal for researchers and scientists working in the field of environmental science, environmental microbiology, and waste management. Similarly, undergraduate and graduate students in these fields, as well as in agriculture, biotechnology, biosciences, and life and environmental sciences will also benefit from this work.

This book focuses on food security and safety issues in Africa, a continent presently challenged with malnutrition and food insecurity. The continuous increase in the human population of Africa will lead to higher food demands, and climate change has already affected food production in most parts of Africa, resulting in drought, reduced crop yields, and loss of livestock and income. For Africa to be food-secure, safe and nutritious food has to be available, well-distributed, and sufficient to meet people’s food requirements. Contributors to Food Security and Safety: African Perspectives offer solutions to the lack of adequate safe and nutritious food in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as highlight the positive efforts being made to address this lack through a holistic approach. The book discusses the various methods used to enhance food security, such as food fortification, fermentation, genetic modification, and plant breeding for improved yield and resistance to diseases. Authors emphasize the importance of hygiene and food safety in food preparation and preservation, and address how the constraints of climate change could be overcome using smart crops. As a comprehensive reference text, Food Security and Safety: African Perspectives seeks to address challenges specific to the African continent while enhancing the global knowledge base around food security, food safety, and food production in an era of rapid climate change.

Advances in Microbe-assisted Phytoremediation of Polluted Sites provides a comprehensive overview of the use of phytoremediation to decontaminate polluted land through microbial enhanced phytoremediation, including the use of plants with respect to ecological and environmental science. The book discusses the potential of microbial-assisted phytoremediation of the contaminant, including heavy metals, pesticides, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, etc., with case studies as examples. Key subjects covered include plant-microbe interaction in contaminated ecosystems, microbe-augmented phytoremediation for improved ecosystem services, and success stories on microbe-assisted phytoremediation of contaminated sites. With increasing demand for land-space for social, industrial and agricultural use, the theoretical millions of hectares of contaminated sites around the world are a resource sorely needed that currently cannot be utilized. Decontamination of this land using ecologically-sound methods is paramount not only to land use, but in the prevention of toxic substances deteriorating local ecosystems by reducing productivity and contaminating the food chain – which can eventually aggregate in food chains and pose the potential risk of non-curable diseases to humans such as cancer. Provides novel information on the potential for microbial inoculants to be used in phytoremediation Discusses principles and mechanisms of plant-microbe interaction for enhanced phytoremediation with improved soil health Investigates phytoremediation solutions for a multitude of contaminants, including heavy metals, fly ash, petroleum, arsenic, TPH, mining effluents, fluoride, lead and other major pollutants