Providing the world's growing population with its increasing demands for energy is a major challenge for science, business and society alike. Energy can be generated from many sources, but not all sources are suitable for every application. Much of today's technology has been built on solid, liquid and gaseous fuels derived from fossil sources. However, the supply of these is finite and their combustion produces carbon dioxide, one of the gases responsible for global warming. Therefore, alternative sources of energy are required which are renewable, sustainable and carbon neutral. This textbook explores the production of biofuels as alternatives to fossil fuels, focusing on the technological issues that need to be addressed for any new fuel source. Each type of biofuel currently in production is considered in detail, covering the benefits and problems with production and use and the potential for biological material to provide sufficient energy for the world's population - the principles on which future fuel development are based.

Continued advances in biotechnology have driven forward the harnessing of micro-organisms and plants to help protect our fragile environment from the impact of human activity in increasingly targeted yet diverse ways. Environmental Biotechnology provides a broad overview of the subject, focusing on how biotechnological techniques are applied to solve environmental problems, rather than giving detailed explanations of the techniques themselves. Opening with an overview of environmental biotechnology, and a review of the key aspects of microbiology upon which the field is based, the book goes on to explore the diverse way in which biotechnology is applied to tackle environmental problems and issues, from monitoring of the environment and treatment of waste, to the removal of pollutants and extraction of oil and minerals. The book closes with a discussion of the ways in which future advances in biotechnology are likely to be harnessed to address current and emerging issues and problems in increasingly effective and powerful ways. Capturing the current excitement in a field reinvigorated by advances in genetic manipulation, and emerging genomic and proteomic technologies, Environmental Biotechnology is the perfect resource for any student needing to develop a sound understanding of biotechnology, and the diverse ways it can be applied to address important environmental issues. Online Resource Centre - Figures from the book available to download, to facilitate lecture preparation - Library of web links cited in the book, to give students ready access to these additional resources

This 1986 book describes the state of research in the area of secondary metabolism in plant cell and tissue culture. Such cultures are a major tool in horticulture and agriculture, and in the chemical industry. The wide range of applications is reflected in the articles presented here, which are grouped according to topic and derive from the meeting held by the International Association of Plant Cell and Tissue Culture in Sheffield in July 1985. This book was a major contribution to the development of plant biotechnology. It will remain of interest to researchers today.