Human actions across the past few centuries have led to a depletion of the world's natural energy sources, as well as large scale environmental degradation. In the context of these current global issues, this book covers the latest research on the application and use of microbes in topical areas such as bioremediation and biofuels. With chapters covering environmental clean-up, microbial fuel cells and biohydrogen, it provides a comprehensive discussion of the latest developments in the field of microbe utilization.
Section 1: Microbial Biotechnology: Present and Future Prospects
1. Emerging Trends in Microbial Biotechnology: Energy and Environment
Section 2: Harnessing Sustainable Energy Sources from Microbes
2. The Microbiology of Microbial Electric Systems
3. A Comparative Assessment of Bioelectrochemical Systems (BESs) and Enzymatic Fuel Cells (EFCs)
4. Electrical Energy from Microorganisms
5. Rumen Microbial Fuel Cells
Section 3: Mechanistics of Bioenergy Production
6. Systems Microbiology Approach to Bioenergy
7. Alternative Energy with an Emphasis on Integration of Nanotechnology
8. Host Engineering for Biofuel Tolerant Phenotypes
Section 4: Bioenergy from Wastes and Pollutant Removal
9. Microbial Fuel Cells: Electricity Generation from Organic Wastes by Microbes
10. Integration of Anaerobic Digestion and Oil Accumulation-Bioenergy Production and Pollutants Removal
11. Biohydrogen Generation Through Solid Phase Anaerobic Digestion from Organic Solid Waste
Section 5: Microalgae for Biofuels
12. Algae: A Novel Biomass Feedstock for Biofuels
13. Biofuel from Microalgae: Myth vs. Reality
Section 6: Bioremediation Technologies for Petroleum Hydrocarbons, PAHs and Xenobiotics
14. Biodegradation of Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Contaminated Soils
15. Bioremediation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)
16. The Role of Biological Control in the Creation of Bioremediation Technologies
Section 7: Bioremediation of Nuclear Waste
17. Bioremediation of High Level, Transuranic Waste and Fission Products
18. Bioremediation of Uranium
Section 8: Extremophilic Microbes: Role in Environmental Cleanup
19. Going Extreme for Small Solutions to Big Environmental Challenges