Microbiome-Based Decontamination of Environmental Pollutants

Microbiome-Based Decontamination of Environmental Pollutants explores the complex interactions of plant-associated microbiomes, providing insights into the pressing challenges of managing environmental resources such as soil, water, and waste. Analysis has shown a formidable potential based in the network interactions between plant microbiota and environmental contaminants. This book presents insights into the potential exploitation of these plant-associated microbial functions. This volume in the Plant and Soil Microbiome series summarizes microbiological aspects of environmental management from the basics to advanced theoretical as well as practical aspects of microbial-based approaches.

The physical and chemical changes caused by pollution of an ecosystem can occur rapidly, significantly impacting the functionality of ecosystem services in that environment. Environmental contamination poses and increasingly global challenge through direct and indirect adverse impacts on the climate, soil productivity and the health concerns of human beings. Traditional remediation techniques are not consistently feasible in mitigating environmental contaminants challenges in terms of cost-effectiveness, limited land resources and toxic residual products. The use of plant-associated microbes as part of a network of tools opens a new door to explore an alternative, eco-friendly and economical technology to mitigate the challenges of environmental contamination.

• Explores the emerging plant microbe interactive nexus for contaminants degradation
• Presents insights into the production and commercialization of plant-microbiome based enzymes
• Includes engineered microbes and microbial products application in contaminant management
• Highlights the latest omics and technologies used in plant–soil microbiome in contaminant management

Dr. Ajay Kumar is currently working as an assistant professor at Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Noida, India. Dr. Kumar recently completed his tenure as a visiting scientist from Agriculture Research Organization, Volcani Center, Israel. He has published more than 200 research, review articles, and book chapters in international and national journals. He serves as an associate editor for Frontiers in Microbiology, BMC Microbiology and as guest editor for various journals such as Plants, Microorganisms, and Sustainability. Dr. Kumar has also edited more than 40 books with the leading publishers such as Elsevier, Springer, and Wiley. Dr. Kumar’s research experience is in the field of plant–microbe interactions, postharvest management, cyanobacterial biology, and so on

Dr. Joginder Singh is a Professor in the Department of Botany at Nagaland University, Lumami, India. His previous positions include a professorship at Lovely Professional University's School of Bioengineering and Biosciences and a Young Scientist role at Jai Narain Vyas University's Microbial Biotechnology and Biofertilizer Laboratory (funded by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India). He is a member of several scientific societies, including the Association of Microbiologists of India and the European Federation of Biotechnology. Dr. Singh has an extensive publication record, with over 250 research and review articles, 35 edited books (with publishers like Elsevier and Springer), and 125 book chapters. He is a reviewer for numerous prestigious journals. He has actively participated in and presented at numerous national and international scientific events.

Dr. Lucas C. B. Azevedo holds a degree in Agronomy (State University of Londrina, Brazil), MSc in Soil Science (Federal University of Lavras, Brazil), and PhD in Soil Science and Plant Nutrition (University of São Paulo, Brazil), which included an internship at Kansas State University, USA. He was named Assistant Professor at the Federal Institute of Goiás State, Brazil teaching Soil and Environmental Microbiology classes. He was named Adjunct Professor at the Institute of Agricultural Sciences of the Federal University of Uberlândia and is currently Associate Professor teaching the subjects of Soil Microbiology, Bioremediation, and Introduction to Soil Science to undergraduate courses of Agronomy and Environmental Engineering. For graduate courses in Environmental Quality and Agronomy, he has taught Soil Ecology classes. As a researcher, he has studied and collaborated in investigations of soil quality indicators soil microbiology soil contamination and remediation and plant growth promoting microorganisms