Advances in Microbe-assisted Phytoremediation of Polluted Sites

Advances in Microbe-assisted Phytoremediation of Polluted Sites provides a comprehensive overview of the use of phytoremediation to decontaminate polluted land through microbial enhanced phytoremediation, including the use of plants with respect to ecological and environmental science. The book discusses the potential of microbial-assisted phytoremediation of the contaminant, including heavy metals, pesticides, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, etc., with case studies as examples. Key subjects covered include plant-microbe interaction in contaminated ecosystems, microbe-augmented phytoremediation for improved ecosystem services, and success stories on microbe-assisted phytoremediation of contaminated sites. With increasing demand for land-space for social, industrial and agricultural use, the theoretical millions of hectares of contaminated sites around the world are a resource sorely needed that currently cannot be utilized. Decontamination of this land using ecologically-sound methods is paramount not only to land use, but in the prevention of toxic substances deteriorating local ecosystems by reducing productivity and contaminating the food chain – which can eventually aggregate in food chains and pose the potential risk of non-curable diseases to humans such as cancer.

Dr. Kuldeep Bauddh is currently an Assistant Professor of Environmental Science at the Centre for Environmental Sciences, Central University of Jharkhand, Ranchi, India. Dr. Bauddh is currently engaged in teaching in key areas of environmental sciences like Environmental Pollution and Management, Environmental Chemistry, Environmental Toxicology, Soil Science, and Hazardous Waste Management. He is also an Associate Editor of the journal “Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability” as well as the co-editor of the magazine “Kahaar”. His main research areas are phytoremediation, ecological restoration and slow release fertilizers. Ying Ma is a Full Professor at the College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing, China. She received her Ph.D. in Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Portugal in 2010. Her main research areas are Environmental Pollution and Bioremediation, Environmental Microbiology and Soil Biotechnology, Sustainable Agriculture.