This book investigates the pivotal role of microorganisms in elemental cycling and degradation processes, offering a comprehensive exploration of their chemical reactivity and metabolic diversity. By examining the interaction of microorganisms with geological activities, this volume highlights their influence on biotransformation and bioremediation. Readers will find an in-depth review of geo-microbes' applications in soil improvement and environmental restoration, alongside discussions on bio-sediment, bioleaching, and elemental cycling.

The chapters offer expert analysis and diverse perspectives in microbiology, geology, and environmental biotechnology. Key concepts include the geomicrobiological interactions in extreme environments, the transformation of toxic elements, and the potential for extraterrestrial life models. Chapters delve into the rehabilitation of saturated lands, the role of geo-microbes in arsenic transformation, and the ecological restoration of wetlands. The book is invaluable for researchers, students, and professionals in microbiology, biotechnology, geology, and environmental sciences. It also serves as a major reference for understanding the microbial processes that shape our planet and offers practical insights for harnessing the power of geo-microbes for sustainable environmental solutions. While comprehensively reviewing geo-microbes in biotransformation processes, the book provides the knowledge and tools necessary to advance the readers' understanding of geomicrobiology and its applications.

Covers geo-microbes' role in biotransformation processes like bioremediation, bio-sediment, bioleaching and restoration Shows the ubiquity of microorganisms, their high chemical reactivity, and their metabolic diversity for bioremediation Details microbial diversity, chemical reactivity, and roles in mineral transformation and soil improvement

Autorentext

Prof. S.R. Joshi, Professor in the Department of Biotechnology & Bioinformatics, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong, India , is a microbiologist with more than 36 years of teaching, research and administrative experiences. He has a brilliant academic career of being Gold Medallist in his Bachelors and Masters Programme. He also holds degrees in Bachelor of Education and Computer Applications.

His experience in teaching and research is substantiated by his successful mentoring of 28 research scholars for their Ph.D degree apart from guiding Masters students and Research Fellows from Science Academies of India. His research interests span around exploring microbial diversity from the biodiversity hotspot of Northeast India for their bioprospection as probiotics, bioinoculants, speleothem drivers and bioremediating agents. He has successfully completed more than 20 research projects sponsored by different governmental and corporate agencies which has led to developing starter cultures for fermentation of non-dairy substrates, pilot scale technology for bioremediation of mine areas and bioinoculants for eco-restoration of shifting cultivation fallows, an indigenous agricultural practice prevalent in Northeast India. He has worked extensively in mineral transformations in mining areas, agricultural systems, hot springs, sacred groves and cave environments underlining the role played by microorganisms in these special niches.

His administrative experiences include his involvement in academic councils and administrative bodies of different institutions and his parent university. His contributions in scientific committees encompasses his involvement in Science and Technology Task Forces, Scientific Advisory Committees and as Governing Body member of various academic and scientific institutions. He has been decorated with many awards and membership of different science societies and academies. Notable among them are the Fellow of National Academy of Sciences India and Ambedkar Fellowship.

Dr. Subhro Banerjee, Assistant Professor in Department of Zoology, SRM University Sikkim, is a microbiologist with 15 years of teaching, research and administrative experiences. After having pursued his B.Sc (Hons.) and M.Sc Microbiology from University of Calcutta, Kolkata and Jiwaji University, Gwalior respectively, he obtained his Ph.D from Department of Biotechnology & Bioinformatics, North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) [A Central University], Shillong. He worked as Junior Research Fellow and Senior Research Fellow under Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology project apart from being a DST-PURSE fellow. He carried out his postdoctoral works at Bidhannagar College (Govt. of West Bengal), Kolkata and at NEHU, Shillong on diverse aspects of microbiology and under various funding agencies like Ministry of Food Processing Industries and Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment & Sustainable Development. He is also recipient of National PostDoctoral Fellow of Science and Engineering Research Board at Gauhati University, Guwahati. He held a teaching position at Department of Microbiology, Atmiya University, Rajkot and served as Research Manager at MNR Educational Trust, Sangareddy, Telangana, where he motivated the staffs and students of the institute in various research activities and was the coordinator of the Institutional Ethics Committee. He was responsible for developing a new academic program in medical laboratory technology and was appointed as Principal In Charge of Sikkim Professional College of Allied Health Sciences at Sikkim Professional University, Gangtok, Sikkim, where he was conferred with the Best Teacher Award. He has lectured extensively on microbiology, and teaches both undergraduate and postgraduate level courses, apart from guiding in the research work of postgraduate

Inhalt

Chapter 1. Geomicrobiological interactions in the frozen world: Potential for exobiological processes.- Chapter 2. Geomicrobes in rehabilitation of saturated lands.- Chapter 3. Geomicrobiology in Hot Spring Hydrothermal Systems.- Chapter 4. Geomicrobes in transformation of arsenic.- Chapter 5. Biomineralization of toxic chemicals and radionuclides by geomicrobes.- Chapter 6. Microbial Diversity and Mineral Transformation with Reference to Endosymbiotic Niches.- Chapter 7. Geo-microbes in rhizoremediation: Harnessing potential of Sulphate Reducing Bacteria (SRB) for mitigation of xenobiotics compounds.- Chapter 8. Geomycology: Exploring fungal roles in elemental cycling.- Chapter 9. Ecological restoration of salt marshes by geomicrobes.- Chapter 10. Bioconstructions in hypogean paleoprecipitation archives: Possible models of extraterrestrial life.- Chapter 11. Ecological restorations of wetlands by geomicrobes.- Chapter 12. Geomicrobiological strategies in rehabilitation of coal mine dump ecosystems.- Chapter 13. Geomicrobiology of arsenic-contaminated groundwater.- Chapter 14. Geobiomineralization at the interface of plant-microbes interaction and the role of mycorrhizal fungi.- Chapter 15. Bioremediation of hydrocarbon contaminated sites: A geomicrobiological approach.- Chapter 16. Geomicrobes in environmental remediation of polyaromatic hydrocarbons.- Chapter 17. Microbial life within the deep, hot subsurface biosphere and its implications in astrobiology.- Chapter 18. Geomicrobiological factors that control bioremediation of uranium debased sites.- Chapter 19. Unlocking geomicrobiological perspectives in bioremediation of hydrocarbons.- Chapter 20. Native geomicrobes and their role in ore deposits.- Chapter 21. Harnessing the ability of cyanobacterium Anabaena variabilis for bioremediation of waste generated from oil refineries.- Chapter 22. Microbial responses to hydrocarbon contamination and its bioremediation.