Tools, Techniques and Protocols for Monitoring Environmental Contaminants describes information on the strategic integration of available monitoring methods with molecular techniques, with a focus on omics (DNA, RNA and protein based) and molecular imprinted polymer and nanomaterial based advanced biosensors for environmental applications. It discusses the most commonly practiced analytic techniques, such as HPLC, MS, GCMS and traditional biosensors, giving an overview of the benefits of advanced biosensors over commonly practiced methods in the rapid and reliable assessment of environmental contaminants. As environmental contaminants have become one of the serious concerns in terms of their rapid growth and monitoring in the environment, which is often limited due to costly and laborious methods, this book provides a comprehensive update on their removal, the challenges they create for environmental regulatory agencies, and their diverse effects on terrestrial and aquatic environments.

While existing approaches to monitoring environmental contaminants tend to focus on a small suite of contaminant types and often involve monitoring at fixed points and at fixed times, Monitoring Environmental Contaminants focuses on a wide range of new technologies and approaches available for monitoring chemical and biological contaminants in air, water, soil and food. These new methods allow the ability to monitor a wider range of contaminants at much greater and temporal resolutions. Adoption of these methods could result in a change in our understanding of how humans and ecosystems are exposed to contaminants in different environmental media. This volume in the Environmental Contaminants Series provides an overview of a wide range of monitoring approaches ranging from citizen science networks to the use of robotics and sensor networks. Monitoring Environmental Contaminants describes challenges in the adoption of some of these new approaches and methods for dealing with these challenges such as the use of mining techniques for large data. The case studies within will provide a thorough illustration for researchers, academics, and scientists involved in ecology and environmental sciences. - Brings together chapters from a wide range of research in ecology and the environmental sciences - Utilizes an easily understandable style that can be absorbed by a wide audience - Uses case studies to illuminate the application of selected novel contamination monitoring approaches

Food, Medical, and Environmental Applications of Nanomaterials is designed to cover different types of nanomaterials that have applications related to the environment, food and medicine. It is an important resource for materials scientists and bioengineers looking to learn more about the applications of nanomaterials for sustainable development applications. Nanoscale materials possess excellent properties that have been explored in the areas of biomedicals, food, agriculture, the environment, catalysis, sensing and energy storage. Examples of these new applications include smart and active food packaging, nanobiosensors, bioremediation, wastewater treatment, implant coatings, tissue engineering, delivery systems for food and pharmaceutical applications, and food safety. - Helps readers make decisions on the suitability and appropriateness of a synthetic route and characterization technique for a particular nanosystem - Enables readers to analyze and compare experimental data and extract in-depth information about the physical properties of the polymeric gels using mathematical models - Teaches users about the applications of nanomaterials for sustainable development applications

This comprehensive reference book discusses the convergent and next-generation technologies for product-derived applications relevant to agriculture, pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, and the environment. The field of modern biotechnology is a multidisciplinary and groundbreaking area of biology that includes several cutting-edge methods due to developments in forensics and molecular modeling. Bioinformatics is a full-fledged multidisciplinary field that combines advances in computer and information technology. Numerous applications of bioinformatics—primarily in the areas of gene and protein identification, structural and functional prediction, drug development and design, folding of genes and proteins and their complexity, vaccine design, and organism identification—have contributed to the advancement of biotechnology. Biotechnology is also essential to crop improvement in agriculture because it allows genes to transfer across plants to increase traits such as disease resistance and yield. It also plays a broad role in healthcare, including genetic testing, gene therapy, pharmacogenomics, and drug development. Bioremediation and biodegradation, using microbial technologies to clean up environmental contamination, waste management technologies, and the conversion of organic waste to biofuels. Bioinformatics plays a critical role in analyzing different types of data created by high-throughput research methods—such as genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic datasets—that are useful in addressing various problems related to disease management, clean environment, alternative energy sources, agricultural productivity, and more. Audience The book will interest biotechnology researchers and bioinformatics professionals working in the areas of applied biotechnology, bioengineering, biomedical sciences, microbiology, agriculture and environmental sciences.

The contamination of environment and water resources by Selenium (Se) and its oxyanions from various sources are emerging contaminants of significant health and environmental concern. The primary sources include agricultural drainage water, mine drainage, residues from fossil fuels, thermoelectric power plants, oil refineries, and metal ores. Various methods and technologies have been developed which focus on the treatment of selenium-containing waters and wastewater. High concentrations of selenium in water cause various adverse impact to human health, such as carcinogenic, genotoxic, and cytotoxic effects. But in the lower concentrations, it is a useful constituent of the biological system. The range between toxicity and deficiency of selenium is minimal (40 to 400 μg per day), due to its dual nature. Selenium Contamination in Water contains the latest status and information on selenium’s origin, its chemistry and its toxicity to humans. The book represents a comprehensive and advanced reference book for students, researchers, practitioners, and policymakers in working in the field of metalloids, in particular selenium. A special emphasis is given on its geological distribution, monitoring techniques, and remedial technologies. As such, the authors critically analyze the various techniques used for the monitoring and removal of selenium from water. Featuring chapters arranged according to the major themes of the latest research, with specific case-studies from industrial experiences of selenium detection and removal, Selenium Contamination in Water will be particularly valued by researchers, practitioners, and policymakers in working in the field of metalloids including selenium.

Comprehensive discussion of production and purification strategies for microbial enzymes important to various industries, from food and beverages to pharmaceuticals Microbial Enzymes provides expert insight into diverse aspects of microbial enzymes, highlighting strategies for their production, purification, and manipulation, elucidating eco-friendly industrial applications, and discussing several production processes, such as the production of cellulose and non-synthetic indigo dye. This book emphasizes recent technological interventions in microbial enzyme technology like metagenomics, system biology, molecular biology, genomics, directed evolution, and bioinformatics. The important microbial enzymes highlighted in this book include xylanases, ureases, methane monooxygenase, polyhydroxyalkanoates, pectinases, peroxidases, α-L-rhamnosidase, alkane hydroxylases, laccases, proteases, gallic acid decarboxylase, chitinases, beta-glucosidase, lipases, inulinases, tannase, mycozyme, ACC deaminase, ligninolytic enzymes, and many more. Novel treatment methods involving strains of microorganisms with desirable properties applicable in the process of bioremediation through mitigating climate concern, increasing green production technology, improving agriculture productivity, and providing a means of earning a livelihood are discussed. Readers will also gain state-of-the-art background knowledge on existing technologies and their current challenges and future prospects. Contributed to by leading experts in the field and edited by four highly qualified academics, Microbial Enzymes explores important topics including: Strategies for the discovery and enhancement of enzyme function, and potentials of system biology to better understand the kinetics of industrially important enzymes Production and therapeutic applications of monoclonal antibodies in cancer and other diseases, and characterization of tannase as a virulence factor Opportunities to produce enzymes through food waste and byproducts, and recent developments in computational tools Use of Omics tools in the discovery of fungal enzymes and secondary metabolites Microbial Enzymes is a thorough and highly practical reference on the subject for students, scientists, biotechnologists, microbiologists, and policymakers working in environmental microbiology, biotechnology, and environmental sciences.

Handbook of Microbial Nanotechnology is a collection of the most recent scientific advancements in the fundamental application of microbial nanotechnology across various sectors. This comprehensive handbook highlights the vast subject areas of microbial nanotechnology and its potential applications in food, pharmacology, water, environmental remediation, etc. This book will serve as an excellent reference handbook for researchers and students in the food sciences, materials sciences, biotechnology, microbiology and in the pharmaceutical fields.Microbial nanotechnology is taking part in creating development and innovation in various sectors. Despite the participation of microbial nanotechnology in modern development, there are some hindrances. The lack of information, the possibility of adverse impacts on the environment, human health, safety and sustainability are still a challenge. This handbook addresses these challenges. - Offers up-to-date, scientific information on the integration of microbiology and nanotechnology - Explores how nanotechnology can improve the detection of trace chemical contaminants, viruses and bacteria in food and other industry applications - Provides readers with a fundamental understanding of microbial nanotechnology and its challenges - Includes real-time applications with case studies to illustrate how microbial nanotechnology influences modern sciences and technologies

This book presents a broad scope of the field of biomaterials science and technology, focusing on theory, advances and applications. It is written for those who would like to develop their interest and knowledge towards biomaterials or materials science and engineering. All aspects of biomaterials science are thoroughly addressed, from basic principles of biomaterials, organs and medical devices to advanced topics such as tissue engineering, surface engineering, sterilization techniques, 3D printing and drug delivery systems. Readers are also introduced to major concepts of surface modification techniques, and potential applications of different classes of biomaterials. Multiple-choice questions at the end of every chapter will be helpful for students to test their understanding of each topic, with answers provided at the end of the book.Ultimately, this book offers a one-stop source of information on the essentials of biomaterials and engineering. It is useful both as an introduction and advanced reference on recent advances in the biomaterials field. Suitable readers include undergraduate and graduate students, especially those in Materials Science, Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering.

Nanomaterials in Bionanotechnology: Fundamentals and Applications offers a comprehensive treatment of nanomaterials in biotechnology from fundamentals to applications, along with their prospects. This book explains the basics of nanomaterial properties, synthesis, biological synthesis, and chemistry and demonstrates how to use nanomaterials to overcome problems in agricultural, environmental, and biomedical applications. Features Covers nanomaterials for environmental analysis and monitoring for heavy metals, chemical toxins, and water pollutant detection Describes nanomaterials-based biosensors and instrumentation and use in disease diagnosis and therapeutics Discusses nanomaterials for food processing and packaging and agricultural waste management Identifies challenges in nanomaterials-based technology and how to solve them This work serves as a reference for industry professionals, advanced students, and researchers working in the discipline of bionanotechnology.

Chemometrics: Data Treatment and Applications demonstrates the best practices for treating real-world analytical instrument data and how to apply chemometrics to this data. Rather than focusing on the mathematical theory involved in chemometrics, this book is meant for the industrial chemist, and academics and advanced students that want to use chemometrics in practice. Case studies on several applications are presented. Unlike existing literature, this book focuses on best practices, practical realities, and challenges when treating data, rather than on the mathematical theory. It also provides basic information on chemometrics, several chapters on how to treat, and the best practices used to treat, data from different analytical instruments, as well as case studies and uses of chemometrics in different fields. The book is written primarily for analytic chemists as practitioners in analytical laboratories and other industries. It will also be useful to academics and graduate, masters and postdoc students chiefly working in analytical chemistry who want to improve the practical aspects of their research activities. - Presents topical and important chapters for the most-used analytical instruments - Focuses on practical issues in the implementation of chemometrics - Examines advances in the application of chemometrics in several fields - Includes frank perspectives on what works well for the data of a certain analytical instrument given the multiple choices of mathematical models and protocols that can be applied - Covered protocols are heavily illustrated with case studies showing their potential use and the advances in chemometrics