Microbial Technologies in Industrial Wastewater Treatment

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.