The environment is prone to suffer pollution and toxic insult from generations of nanomaterials as well from accidental releases during production, transportation, and disposal operations. The NMs could interact with and cause adverse biological effects at cellular, subcellular, and molecular levels. Assessing potential environmental/ecological risks requires quality information on transport and fate of nanoparticles in the environment, exposures and vulnerabilities of organisms to the nanomaterials and standard methods for assessing toxicity for aquatic or terrestrial organisms and human health. The systematic risk characterization and evaluation of the safety of nanomaterials require a multidisciplinary approach and convergence of knowledge and efforts from researchers and experts from toxicology, biotechnology, materials science, chemistry, physics, engineering, and other branches of life sciences. Although studies are beginning to appear in the literature addressing the toxicity of various nanomaterials and their potential for exposure, at this stage definitive statements regarding the impacts of nanomaterials on human health and the environment remain sketchy requiring an increased level of precautions with regard to nanomaterials, as has happened with other emerging contaminants and technologies (e.g., biotechnology). The need for an increased level of understanding the perception of risk and of benefits will vary and is likely to influence public, regulatory, and non-governmental activities regarding risk and benefit evaluations. Systematic identification and assessment of the risks posed by any new technology are essential. A prudent, integrated, and holistic approach is required to develop best practices based on the scientific understanding about what we know and what we don't know but need to know. Nanomaterials addresses key issues of ecotoxicological actions and effects of nanomaterials on life and environment, their threats, vulnerability, risks, and public perception. The readers learn to read bad news objectively and think about and search for ecological 'green' solutions to current environmental and ecological problems with blue, grey, brown, and red shades for building a sustainable ecosystem. It shows how this molecular terrain is a common ground for interdisciplinary research and education that will be an essential component of science, engineering and technology in the future. The book is divided into three sections. Section I includes general topics related to ecotoxicity of nanomaterials to microbes, plants, human and environment. Section 2 incorporates risks generated by the use of nanomaterials. Section 3 discusss safety issues and the public.

Many physico-chemical and operational factors influence the performance, treatment costs and long-term stability of biofilters for the treatment of wastewater. An Innovative Role of Biofiltration in Wastewater Treatment Plants focuses on identifying the factors that affect biofiltration, such as the hydraulic retention time of the biofiltration system, the type and characteristics of the filter and the attached biomass, explains their influence and provides guidelines on how to control these factors to optimize better operation with respect to pollutant control present in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). The fundamental basis of treatment in biofilters is the action of pollutant-degrading microorganisms and consequently the book also discusses in depth about the microbial ecology of biofiltration. In addition, it explores the applications of biofiltration including the removal of emerging pollutants.

Removal of Emerging Contaminants from Wastewater through Bio-nanotechnology showcases profiles of the nonregulated contaminants termed as "emerging contaminants," which comprise industrial and household persistent toxic chemicals, pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), pesticides, surfactants and surfactant residues, plasticizers and industrial additives, manufactured nanomaterials and nanoparticles, microplastics, etc. that are used extensively in everyday life. The occurrence of "emerging contaminants" in wastewater, and their behavior during wastewater treatment and production of drinking water are key issues in the reuse and recycling of water resources. This book focuses on the exploitation of Nano-biotechnology inclusive of the state-of-the-art remediate strategies to degrade/detoxify/stabilize toxic and hazardous contaminants and restore contaminated sites, which is not as comprehensively discussed in the existing titles on similar topics available in the global market. In addition, it discusses the potential environmental and health hazards and ecotoxicity associated with the widespread distribution of emerging contaminants in the water bodies. It also considers the life cycle assessment (LCA) of emerging (micro)-pollutants with suitable case studies from various industrial sources.

An Integration of Phycoremediation Processes in Wastewater Treatment reviews the potential of microalgae to treat wastewater containing highly recalcitrant compounds whose degradation is not achieved by the conventional existing treatments. In addition, the book describes how the microalgae collected after wastewater treatment can be used for obtaining added-value products, hence closing the loop and contributing to a circular economy. Finally, the technoeconomical aspects of this green technology are addressed, along with the design and development of photobioreactors, genetic aspects, metagenomics and metabolomics.

Includes recent research and development in the areas of omics and microbial bioremediation Covers the broad environmental pollution control approach such as metagenomics, metabolomics, fluxomics, bioremediation, and biodegradation of industrial wastes Reviews metagenomics and waste management, and recycling for environmental cleanup Describes the metagenomic methodologies and best-practices, from sample collection to data analysis for taxonomies Explores various microbial degradation pathways and detoxification mechanisms for organic and inorganic contaminants of wastewater with their gene expression