Biodegradation has been the subject of active concern for the past 40 years. Recently, the field has expanded to encompass a wide variety of chemicals, a broad array of issues, and the development of the new bioremediation industry. This book presents the basic principles of biodegradation and shows how these principles relate to bioremediation. Authored by a world-renowned environmental microbiologist, Biodegradation and Bioremediation presents microbiological, chemical, toxicological, environmental, engineering, and technological aspects of the subject.
* Praise for the First Edition
* "Serves an important function in presenting a complete picture of biodegradation in the environment. I t] provides biologists, chemists and engineers interested in this process with information complementary to their own fields and thus belongs on the shelf of everybody active in the study of biodegradation and bioremediation."
* --JOURNAL OF CONTAMINANT HYDROLOGY
* "A compendious account of the field in a form accessible to microbiologists, chemists, toxicologists and environmental scientists and engineers. His book succeeds admirably...Well indexed, its diagrams large and clear....It will serve as an excellent text for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate courses and as an invaluable source of reference to all those with a research interest in this expanding field."
* --SOCIETY FOR GENERAL MICROBIOLOGY QUARTERLY
* "The book could serve as a text for an upper-level or graduate class in the principles of biodegradation and bioremediation for microbiologists and environmental engineers. In summary, Alexander has prepared a cogent and well-organized review of the principles of biodegradation in a book that should prove useful to a great many people."
* --JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
* "Provides a unity of style, and generally, an excellent intellectual flow between topics....Alexander does a spectacular job of addressing the kinetics of degradation reactions--the discussion is one of the best I have seen, especially for those not well versed in mathematics."
* --BIOSCIENCE
* "Written by a very knowledgeable scientist...A very timely book...Recommended as a valuable resource for environmental scientists, engineers, or other persons with an interest in the use of organisms for environmental decontamination and a need for better insight into the principles underlying bioremediation."
* --SOIL SCIENCE

The worldwide consumption of resources is causing environmental damage at a rate that cannot be sustained. Apart from the resulting environmental and health problems, this trend could threaten economic growth due to rapidly decreasing natural resources and costly solutions. The public sector has a responsibility to stimulate the marketplace in favor of the provision of more resource-efficient and less polluting goods, services, and works in order to support environmental and wider sustainable development objectives. Developing Eco-Cities Through Policy, Planning, and Innovation: Can It Really Work? examines the economic, political, social, and environmental objectives essential to the planning and support of future communities. Highlighting a range of topics such as environmental sustainability, waste management, and green cities, this publication is an ideal reference source for environmental engineers, environmentalists, city development planners, urban planners, technology developers, policymakers, industrialists, academicians, and researchers interested in solving environmental issues.

Monitoring drought’s slow evolution and identifying the end of a drought is still a big challenge for scientists, natural resource managers, and decision makers. This comprehensive two-volume set with contributions from over 200 experts, and featuring case studies representing numerous countries throughout the world, discusses different aspects of drought from types, indices, and forecasting to monitoring, modeling, and mitigation measures. It also addresses how climate change is impacting drought and decision-making concluding with lessons learned about science, policy, and managing uncertainty. Features: Provides a global perspective on drought prediction and management and a synthesis of the recent state of knowledge. Covers a wide range of topics from essential concepts and advanced techniques for forecasting and modeling drought to societal impacts, consequences, and planning Presents numerous case studies with different management approaches from different regions and countries. Addresses how climate change impacts drought, the increasing challenges associated with managing drought, decision making, and policy implications. Includes contributions from hundreds of experts around the world. Professionals, researchers, academics, and postgraduate students with knowledge in Environmental Sciences, Ecology, Agriculture, Forestry, Hydrology, Water Resources Engineering, and Earth Sciences, as well as those interested in how climate change impacts drought management, will gain new insights from the experts featured in this two-volume handbook.

Asbestos was once known as the 'magic mineral' because of its ability to withstand flames. Yet since the 1960s, it has become a notorious and feared 'killer dust' that is responsible for thousands of deaths and an epidemic that will continue into the millenium. This is the first comprehensive history of the UK asbestos health problem, which provides an in-depth look at the occupational health experience of one of the world's leading asbestos companies - British asbestos giant, Turner and Newall.

This book presents multi-sector practical cases based on the author's own research. It also includes the best practice, which could serve as a benchmark for the creation of smart cities. The global urbanisation index, i.e., the ratio of city dwellers to the total population, has been steadily increasing in recent years. It is highest in the Americas, followed by Europe, Asia and Africa. The city of the future will combine the intelligent use of IT systems with the potential of institutions, companies and committed, creative inhabitants. The administrative boundaries of today's cities put certain constraints on their further growth, but in the future these boundaries will no longer be as relevant. Cities in Europe face the challenge of reconciling sustainable urban development and competitiveness - a challenge that will likely influence issues of urban quality such as the economy, culture, social and environmental conditions, changing a given city's profile as well as urban quality in terms of its composition and characteristics.

Biomass for Renewable Energy, Fuels, and Chemicals serves as a comprehensive introduction to the subject for the student and educator, and is useful for researchers who are interested in the technical details of biomass energy production. The coverage and discussion are multidisciplinary, reflecting the many scientific and engineering disciplines involved. The book will appeal to a broad range of energy professionals and specialists, farmers and foresters who are searching for methods of selecting, growing, and converting energy crops, entrepreneurs who are commercializing biomass energy projects, and those involved in designing solid and liquid waste disposal-energy recovery systems.
Key Features
* Presents a graduated treatment from basic principles to the details of specific technologies
* Includes a critical analysis of many biomass energy research and commercialization activities
* Proposes several new technical approaches to improve efficiencies, net energy production, and economics
* Reviews failed projects, as well as successes, and methods for overcoming barriers to commercialization
* Written by a leader in the field with 40 years of educational, research, and commercialization experience

This book is a treatise on microbial ecotoxicology, discussing the effect of pollutants on microbial ecosystems and the role of microorganisms in ecosystems services. Emphasizing the microbial responses to pollution at different biological levels, it focuses on metabolic pathways, genetic adaptation and response at the whole-microbial community level. It also addresses the ecological indicators of ecosystem recovery, as well as microbial biomarkers and biosensors as tools for microbial ecotoxicology.

This book not only introduces the chemistry and physicochemical properties of phthalonitrile resins, but also describes strategies for crosslinking and structural modification. The authors explore blends and composites of phthalonitriles with other high-performance polymers and give an outlook on the future of the field.

This book addresses current developments concerning the interpretation of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the part of international courts and tribunals. It does so from different perspectives, by focusing on the jurisprudence of international and regional bodies, such as the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), the European Court of Justice (ECJ) and the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), as well as international arbitral tribunals and the World Trade Organization (WTO) Dispute Settlement Body. The various contributions offer in-depth analyses of issues ranging from the interaction between the sources of the International Law of the Sea, to various substantial, procedural and institutional aspects of the regulatory framework established by UNCLOS. The book also focuses on the reference by international courts and tribunals, in Law of the Sea cases, to both general principles and rules concerning interpretation codified in the Vienna Conventions on the Law of Treaties.

Over the last few centuries, science has usurped domains of knowledge that were once the province of religion. At the same time, however, both science and religion have enforced strict boundaries throughout. Science can describe the world to us, but it cannot tell us about meaning or values. This is a compelling case for breaching this barrier - in effect, for a reunification of science and religion.

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.

Ademas de conquistar la luna y desintegrar el atomo, la especie humana tambien es responsable de otra proeza que nadie podra celebrar. En solo doce de las sesenta mil generaciones de seres humanos que han vivido sobre el planeta, hemos multiplicado entre mil y diez mil veces la tasa media de extincion de especies vigente durante sesenta millones de anos. Segun el autor, una vez visto hasta donde hemos llegado, estamos obligados a reeducarnos ambientalmente entre todos y revisar los elementos fallidos de nuestra conducta que hacen peligrar el legado ambiental de las futuras generaciones. La crisis ecologica exige cambios adaptativos en nuestra capacidad de juzgar que es correcto o incorrecto, valido o invalido, y de obrar en consecuencia. En este libro se ponderan algunos de estos cambios mediante criterios de interdependencia o correlacion entre la validez ecologica y la validez social de nuestras "practicas" ambientales. Empleando como recursos conceptos, valores y metodos de una pragmatica de la educacion y del conocimiento, el autor explora algunas posibilidades para abordar problemas y conflictos ambientales. El libro esta escrito desde el convencimiento de que, ademas de la explotacion despiadada y acelerada de los recursos de todos los seres vivos, el conocimiento humano es capaz de cobrar una presencia ambiental mucho mas humilde y sensata, gracias a practicas para tratar mejor y ser mejor tratados por la naturaleza, para adaptar el entorno natural de manera que podamos seguir adaptandonos a el. Las hipotesis sobre el conocimiento y la educacion ambiental expuestas en este libro remiten a algunas de estas practicas, concretandose en un conjunto de propuestas factibles y revisables, formuladas de manera que su validez pueda someterse a critica y debate publico.

This book identifies the challenges, solutions, and opportunities offered by smart energy grids (SEGs) with regard to the storage and regulation of diversified energy sources such as photovoltaic, wind, and ocean energy. It provides a detailed analysis of the stability and availability of renewable sources, and assesses relevant socioeconomic structures. The book also presents case studies to maximize readers’ understanding of energy grid management and optimization. Moreover, it offers guidelines on the design, implementation, and maintenance of the (SEG) for island countries.

Handbook of Thermoset-Based Biocomposites is a three-volume set that provides a comprehensive review on the recent developments, characterization, and applications of natural fiber-reinforced biocomposites. An in-depth look at hybrid composites, nanofillers, and natural fiber reinforcement is divided into three books on polyester, vinyl ester, and epoxy composites. The volumes explore the widespread applications of natural fiber-reinforced polyester, vinyl ester, and epoxy composites ranging from the aerospace sector, automotive parts, construction and building materials, sports equipment, and household appliances. Investigating the physio-chemical, mechanical, and thermal properties of these composites, the volumes also consider the influence of hybridization, fibre architecture, and fibre-ply orientation. This three-volume set serves as a useful reference for researchers, graduate students, and engineers in the field of composites.

Habitat management is commonly used to maintain and enhance the biological interest of many areas of semi-natural habitat where natural processes no longer create suitable conditions for desired species. Habitat restoration and creation is increasingly being used to increase the extent of ecologically important habitats in order to mitigate the impacts of human development. The modification of past management techniques and the introduction of new ones can provide additional benefits.
Habitat Management for Conservation is a practical handbook which describes the general principles and techniques of managing and creating habitats throughout the world. The opening sections describe the general principles of managing land for biodiversity conservation. They include decision-making, mitigating the damaging effects of climate change, and monitoring the success of management. These are followed by a series of chapters which describe how to manage specific habitats: grasslands, shrublands, forests, scrub, freshwater wetlands, coastal habitats, arable land, urban areas and gardens. For each of these habitats the book discusses the main factors influencing their value for wildlife, highlights the key decisions that need to be made, and describes and compares the effects of individual management techniques.
This comprehensive guide will be essential reading for graduate students as well as an invaluable resource for land managers, land-use advisors and others involved in conservation land management worldwide.

This book reviews the wide range of products and applications of solid state fermentation as well as the development of this cultivation technology over the last years. In this book, readers will also learn about the challenges of solid state fermentation, including process management, reactor design, scale-up and the formation of process-specific products. Solid fermentation is a traditional cultivation technique of food technology and involves all cultivations of microorganisms on a solid substrate without free liquid phase. In the course of development of Biotechnology it was replaced by liquid cultivation mainly in the western countries. Over the past few years, solid-state fermentation is now becoming more important and has moved more back into focus. Especially, it is suitable for the cultivation of filamentous organisms, like ascomycetes and basidiomycetes, but also for various yeasts and bacteria. The products and applications of solid-state fermentation are as diverse as the microorganisms. They range from enzyme production to the production of antibiotics and pigments to the use in environmental technology and energy production.