This book cover all types of microbe based polymers and their application in diverse sectors with special emphasis on agriculture. It collates latest research, methods, opinion, perspectives, and reviews dissecting the microbial origins of polymers, their production, design, and processing at industrial level, as well as improvements for specific industrial applications. Book also discusses recent advances in biopolymer production and their modification for amplifying the value. In addition, understanding of the microbial physiology and optimal conditions for polymer production are also explained. This compilation of scientific chapters on principles and practices of microbial polymers fosters the knowledge transfer among scientific communities, industries, and microbiologist and serves students, academicians, researchers for a better understanding of the nature of microbial polymers and application procedure for sustainable ecosystem

The NATO Advanced Research Workshop from which this book derives was conceived during Biotec-88, the Second Spanish Conference on Biotechnology, held at Barcelona in June 1988. The President of the Conference, Dr. Ricardo Guerrero, had arranged sessions on bacterial polymers which included lectures by five invited participants who, together with Dr. Guerrero, became the Organizing Committee for a projected meeting that would focus attention upon the increasing international importance of novel biodegradable polymers. The proposal found favour with the NATO Science Committee and, with Dr. R. Clinton Fuller and Dr. Robert W. Lenz as the co-Directors, Dr. Edwin A. Dawes as the Proceedings Editor, and Dr. Hans G. Schlegel, Dr. Alexander J.B. Zehnder and Dr. Ricardo Guerrero as members of the Organizing Committee, the meeting quickly took shape. To Dr. Guerrero we owe the happy choice of Sitges for the venue, a pleasant coastal resort 36 kilometres from Barcelona, which proved ideal. The sessions were held at the Palau de Maricel in appropriately impressive surroundings, and invaluable local support was provided by Mr. Jordi Mas-Castella and by Ms. Merce Piqueras. Much of the preparatory work fell upon the broad shoulders of Mr. Edward Knee, whose efforts are deeply appreciated. The Organizing Committee hopes that this Workshop will prove to be the first of a series which will aim to keep abreast of a rapidly expanding and exciting area of research that is highly relevant to environmental and industrial interests.

Long-chain polymers from many seaweeds, microscopic algae, and bacteria have been demonstrated to reduce turbulent-flow friction in water. In the investigation all water samples tested from inland and marine sources gained friction-reduction ability when enriched with sugar, as a consequence of polysaccharide synthesis by bacteria. Biological polymers, therefore, are the probable cause of the unexplainable variations in hydrodynamic test facilities. Bacterial polysaccharides were more effective than seaweed extracts at low concentrations for friction reduction, but both were much less effective than synthetic polymers. Turbulent-flow frictional measurements were found to be sensitive for the detection, measurement, and partial characterization of long-chain polymers. (Author).

This book is a comprehensive introduction to "green" or environmentally friendly polymer composites developed using renewable polymers of natural origin such as starch, lignin, cellulose acetate, poly-lactic acid (PLA), polyhydroxylalkanoates (PHA), polyhydroxylbutyrate (PHB), etc., and the development of modern technologies for preparing green composites with various applications. The book also discusses major applications of green polymer composites in industries such as medicine, biotechnology, fine chemicals and engineering.

The revised Third Edition of The Prokaryotes, acclaimed as a classic reference in the field, offers new and updated articles by experts from around the world on taxa of relevance to medicine, ecology and industry. Entries combine phylogenetic and systematic data with insights into genetics, physiology and application. Existing entries have been revised to incorporate rapid progress and technological innovation. The new edition improves on the lucid presentation, logical layout and abundance of illustrations that readers rely on, adding color illustration throughout. Expanded to seven volumes in its print form, the new edition adds a new, searchable online version.

Few scientific developments in recent years have captured the popular imagination like the subject of'biodegradable' plastics. The reasons for this are complex and lie deep in the human subconscious. Discarded plastics are an intrusion on the sea shore and in the countryside. The fact that nature's litter abounds in the sea and on land is acceptable because it is biodegradable - even though it may take many years to be bioassimilated into the ecosystem. Plastics litter is not seen to be biodegradable and is aesthetically unacceptable because it does not blend into the natural environment. To the environmentally aware but often scientifically naive, biodegradation is seen to be the ecologically acceptable solution to the problem of plastic packaging waste and litter and some packaging manufacturers have exploited the 'green' consumer with exaggerated claims to 'environmentally friendly' biodegradable packaging materials. The principles underlying environmental degradation are not understood even by some manufacturers of 'biodegradable' materials and the claims made for them have been categorized as 'deceptive' by USA legislative authorities. This has set back the acceptance of plastics with controlled biodegradability as part of the overall waste and litter control strategy. At the opposite end of the commercial spectrum, the polymer manufactur ing industries, through their trade associations, have been at pains to discount the role of degradable materials in waste and litter management. This negative campaign has concentrated on the supposed incompatibility of degradable plastics with aspects of waste management strategy, notably materials recycling.

This new book presents the authors’ biomedical studies of natural degradable biopolymers (polyhydroxyalkanoates [PHAs]) and discusses the demand for medical-grade materials and modern trends, focusing on the present status and future potential of PHAs. The authors present and summarize their most important results and findings obtained during the last few years in experimental studies and clinical trials of PHAs at the Institute of Biophysics Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Science.

With the need to combat emerging infectious diseases, research around antimicrobial biomaterials and their applications is booming. This book provides the field with a much-needed fundamental overview of the science, addressing the chemistry of a broad range of biomaterial types, and their applications in the biomedical industry. Materials covered include polymers, from those with inherent antimicrobial activity to those that release antimicrobial agents, antimicrobial ceramics and inorganic compounds, such as metal based antimicrobial additives, and the developing field of biomimetic materials, are discussed. Surfaces, coatings and adhesives are covered, whilst the applications of these antimicrobial materials in biomedical applications, from catheters to orthopaedics, dentistry to ophthalmology, are explored. Edited by international leaders and with contributions from the best in the field, this book is the go-to resource for graduates and researchers in biomaterials science, biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, and materials and polymer chemistry.