Table Of ContentRouf Ahmad Bhat
Khalid Rehman Hakeem
Najla Bint Saud Al-Saud Editors
Bioremediation and
Biotechnology,
Vol 3
Persistent and Recalcitrant Toxic
Substances
Bioremediation and Biotechnology, Vol 3
Rouf Ahmad Bhat
Khalid Rehman Hakeem
Najla Bint Saud Al-Saud
Editors
Bioremediation
and Biotechnology, Vol 3
Persistent and Recalcitrant Toxic Substances
Editors
Rouf Ahmad Bhat Khalid Rehman Hakeem
Department of Environmental Science Department of Biological Sciences
Cluster University, Sri Pratap College King Abdulaziz University
Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Dr Najla Bint Saud Al-Saud Center for
Najla Bint Saud Al-Saud
Excellence Research in Biotechnology
Director of the Princess Dr Najla Bint Saud
King Abdulaziz University
Al-Saud Center for Excellence Research in
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Biotechnology
King Abdulaziz University
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
ISBN 978-3-030-46074-7 ISBN 978-3-030-46075-4 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-46075-4
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Foreword
A healthy environment is essential for any biota, without which survival is not pos-
sible. The qualities of the environment are continuously being degraded by persis-
tent and recalcitrant pollutants released into different ecosystems due to
anthropogenic activities viz., improper wastewater discharge, unscientific solid
waste management, rapid industrialization, urbanization, and application of recalci-
trant substances and pesticides. These persistent pollutants not only affect the living
organisms in soil and water but also have deleterious impacts on human health.
Undoubtedly, synthetic substances like pesticides, herbicides, etc., are helpful for
controlling unwanted pests and plants; hence, they are essential for increasing agri-
cultural yield. But, the presence of these substances in the environment has long-
term implications as these substances have a long residential period in any
ecosystem. Pesticide application on crops directly affects nontarget organisms, soil
health, and also reaches nearby freshwater bodies. There are numerous technologies
available for monitoring, assessing, and remediation of these recalcitrant pollutants,
but they are expensive as well as inefficient for a sustainable future. Seeking sus-
tainable approaches for remediation of persistent substances, biotechnology, and
bioremediation has proven to be a purposeful tool for the restoration of disturbed
environs. Several scientists, researchers, and workers are exploring different com-
partments and the use of adopted biota and bioactive compounds for the degradation
of toxic substances. Bioremediation and biotechnology are regarded as sustainable
approaches to remediate environmental contaminants. These technologies nowa-
days play a key role in the degradation of contaminants. Furthermore, these sustain-
able techniques can remove persistent contaminants from the environment in a
versatile, cost-effective, and eco-friendly manner.
The book is a lucid assemblage of varied topics in the form of book chapters,
pertinent to the credibility of biotechnology and bioremediation for degradation and
remediation of persistent pollutants in any ecosystem. The book contains 15 chap-
ters from diverse regions of the world. Chapter 1 entitled “Impact of Heavy Metal
Contamination on Quality Environs” is written by a group of authors from North
India. It presents information about the toxicity of heavy metals on soil structure,
animals, and plants due to anthropogenic stress. Furthermore, the authors urge on
vii
viii Foreword
the fact that the presence of these substances in any ecosystem not only affects the
life process of animals but also critically damages the life processes of plants and
microbes and conclude that these substances have deleterious impacts on any biota.
The scientists from Brazil provide a valuable picture about the “Concerns and
Threats of Xenobiotics on Aquatic Ecosystems” in Chap. 2. This chapter addresses
specifically the concerns and threats related to the pollution of aquatic ecosystems
by xenobiotics and highlighting the risks posed due to pesticides and pharmaceuti-
cals. Chapter 3 entitled “Approaches and Methods for Evaluation of Persistent
Pollutant Load in Different Aquatic Environs” is written by a group of scientists
from Brazil. The authors present information pertaining to human health risks due
to the contamination of organic and inorganic persistent substances. Persistent
chemicals (mainly pesticides and heavy metals), even in small amounts, can repre-
sent an enormous risk to the forms of life in contact with the polluted water.
Therefore, this chapter focuses on approaches and methods for evaluating the per-
sistent pollutant load in aquatic environs. In Chap. 4, a team of workers from Saudi
Arabia and India address on the work of “Chemical Pesticides: Integrated Methods
in Assessment and Monitoring.” They have added information on the extensive use
of pesticides and their negative impacts on human health. Furthermore, the authors
have recognized that these contaminants are lethal at low concentrations. Chapter 5
entitled “Chemical Transformations of Synthetic Persistent Substances” is written
by a group of researchers from Romania. They have scrutinized the effects of toxic
substances at individual as well as at population level on different biota and recom-
mended that the concentration of contaminants which can reach in an organism is
an amalgam of several processes: viz., absorption, extraction, accumulation, trans-
formation, and volatilization. For a second time, scientists from Romania present
their work on “Ecotechnologies for Persistent Pollutants” in Chap. 6. In this chapter,
the authors demonstrate that continental aquatic ecosystems are vulnerable to pollu-
tion with persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and advise that a mechanism is
needed to obtain coherent data at a regional and global level regarding the concen-
tration of these substances in the sediment, water, and aquatic organisms. A group
of workers from Pakistan have expanded the information on the title “Microbiological
Aspects of Pesticide Remediation” in Chap. 7. It confers the credibility of microbial
biota for the decontamination of pesticides. Moreover, it provides a detailed account
of the importance of microbes and the mechanisms involving enzymes associated
with pesticide remediation. Techniques to enhance the biodegradation rate and
genetics involved in microbial degradation of pesticides have also been briefly
explained in this chapter. The authors conclude that the involvement of various
methods like nanobioremediation, genetic engineering, and immobilization associ-
ated with microbes can significantly enhance the biodegradation of pesticides.
Researchers from India have shared information on the “Eco-friendly Approaches
for Remediation of Pesticides in Contaminated Environs” in Chap. 8. The informa-
tion shared discusses the fact that bioremediation by using microorganisms (bacte-
ria, algae, and fungi) can remove pesticides from the environment in a versatile,
cost-effective, and eco-friendly manner. Chapter 9 titled “The Reliability of
Nanotechnology for Sustainable Industries” is written by scientists from Romania.
Foreword ix
They have presented intricate facts pertaining to nanotechnology as a sustainable
industrial tool for improving biomass production, production of fireproof building
materials, and in the medical system, a possible tool that can extend life expectancy
and eradicate diseases. Another group of authors from India and Oman prepared
Chap. 10 tilted “Zooplankton: The Significant Ecosystem Service Provider in
Aquatic Environment.” It deals with the fact that zooplanktons are vital in maintain-
ing the biological configuration of the food web and the overall balance of the
aquatic ecosystems. Besides, it presents the information that these valuable assets
can be utilized to monitor the physicochemical and biological alterations in aquatic
ecosystems due to climate change and anthropogenic influences. Scientists from
Mexico have pooled up information on the “Phytoremediation Technology:
Sustainable Solution for Cleaning Up of Recalcitrant Pollutants from Disturbed
Environs” in Chap. 11. The authors have reviewed more than 90 plants pertaining to
their potential in the process of phytoremediation. Among them, 80 plants are capa-
ble of removing heavy metals and 13 removing organic pollutants from disturbed
environs. In addition, a case study pertaining to the phytoremediation potential of
Typha latifolia has been discussed in a lucid manner. As per the authors, T. latifolia
is a hyperaccumulator for Pb and removes other heavy metals at a good rate in dis-
turbed environs. Therefore, the chapter concludes with the suggestion that plants are
capable of degrading toxic substances and should be employed for the restoration of
contaminated environs. Chapter 12 titled “Applications of Macrophytes as
Environmentally Sound Technique for Cleaning of Contaminated Ecosystems” has
been prepared by researchers from India. The authors provide a picture about the
importance of water resources which support life on earth. Besides, it discusses the
impacts posed by diverse categories of pollutants (toxic metals, agrochemicals, syn-
thetic pesticides, and organic substances) that have drastically altered the quality of
aquatic ecosystems. The authors accentuate that macrophytes could be applied as an
effective, efficient, and better choice to clean the wastewaters contaminated with
metals, nutrients, and pesticides. Chapter 13 entitled “Role of Biotechnology in
Pesticide Remediation” has been critically overviewed by workers from India. They
compare conventional with modern remediation approaches and concluded that bio-
technological tools and their applications are easier, time-saving, safer, and sustain-
able to remediate the contaminated sites. A group of scientists from India have
presented a valuable description under the title “Role of Ectomycorrhizal
Biotechnology in Pesticide Remediation” in Chap. 14. The authors reported the
application of ectomycorrhizal fungal strains or their prominent fungal enzymes via
contemporary biotechnological tools for sustainable degradation and remediation of
disturbed environs. Chapter 15 entitled “Biosensors: A Biotechnological Tool for
Monitoring Environmental Pollution” as the closing chapter has been presented by
researchers from India. They have mentioned that biosensors have gained huge sig-
nificance in the field of defense, biomedicine, food industries, drug discovery, and
environmental pollution monitoring. Furthermore, they have highlighted the mod-
ern trend in the monitoring of environment is utilization of novel and innovative
biotechnological techniques with a focus on genetic or protein engineering. Besides,
synthetic biology to program microbes may also be utilized to enhance the specific-
x Foreword
ity, selectivity, and accuracy of biosensors. As per the authors, the application of
biosensors has therefore a great potential for ecological scrutiny and recognition of
pollutants.
The sequence of chapters incorporated and information demonstrated in this
book encompass the most imperative facets of scientific evaluation. The editors
must be applauded for their commendable work spent on bringing out this volume.
Centre of Research for Development (CORD) Bashir Ahmad Ganai
Department of Environmental Science
University of Kashmir
Srinagar, India
Preface
A healthy environment is essential for any biota, without which survival is not pos-
sible. Persistent and recalcitrant pollutants are continuously degrading the qualities
of the environment. These substances not only affect the living organisms in soil and
water but also have deleterious impacts on human health. Certainly, human-made
chemical constituents like pesticides and herbicides play a pivotal role in control-
ling unwanted pests and plants. However, the existence of these chemical constitu-
ents in the environment has extended insinuation due to their long residential period.
The application of these substances directly affects nontarget biota, soil health, and
also affects freshwater ecosystems. Numerous technologies are available for moni-
toring, assessing, and remediation of these recalcitrant pollutants, but are expensive
as well as inefficient for a sustainable future. Bioremediation and biotechnology
nowadays play a vital role in the degradation of persistent pollutants. Furthermore,
these sustainable techniques can remove pesticides from the environment in a ver-
satile, cost-effective, and eco-friendly manner.
The book is a smooth-tongued grouping of diverse titles in the shape of chapters,
relevant to the integrity of “biotechnology and bioremediation” for decontamination
of persistent substances in different environs. It provides a prime position to the
chapters about sources, classification and inferences, and threats of recalcitrant sub-
stances on different ecosystems. A valuable space has given to the monitoring tech-
niques for recalcitrant substances. Besides, the book contains some chapters
encompassing the available conventional technologies for the degradation of recal-
citrant pollutants. Furthermore, this book has given a valuable place for innovative
technologies, viz. mycoremediation, nanotechnology, phytoremediation, bioreme-
diation, biotechnology, and GMPs for decontamination of recalcitrant pollutants. In
general, the introductory chapters of this book deal with the contamination of quan-
dary and its enormity followed by innovative modern treatment technologies and
sustainable techniques to remediate the persistent substances in different environs.
xi
