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In Quest for Environmental Sustainability: Microorganisms to the Rescue

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2022) | Viewed by 2923

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Biology Department, School of Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15781 Athens, Greece
Interests: plant biology; microbiology; biotechnology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Section of Botany, Department of Biology, School of Science, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
Interests: abiotic/biotic stress effects on plants; plant cell biology; phytomorphogenesis; plant biomass utilization; innovative ecological quality monitoring systems
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The increase in the growth rate of the human population has posed many serious problems, such as the intensification of agriculture, the increase in the waste production and the contaminants release in the environment. Current agricultural practices depend heavily on chemical inputs such as fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, etc. Excessive and indiscriminate use of these chemicals have resulted in food contamination, weed and disease resistance and negative environmental outcomes, having a significant impact on human health. Furthermore, application of these chemical inputs promotes the accumulation of toxic compounds in soils and waters. Therefore, there is a pivotal need for the development of sustainable agriculture practices combining biology, economics, engineering, and chemistry to community development.

Microorganisms can be the leaders in this effort, since they have already been used for the bioremediation and biodegradation of wastes, for the removal and degradation of pollutants, for the treatment of various organic and industry effluents. Soil microorganisms interact with plants and they can mediate the way plants respond to various stresses applied. The rhizosphere of the plant provides a model ecosystem where unique microbial communities develop. In order to develop strategies for plant protection against pathogens, the study of microbial communities and their response when various biotic or abiotic stress factors are applied is fundamental.

Microbial inoculants of environmental-friendly beneficiary microorganisms (bacteria, fungi and algae)  can act as biofertilizers, bioherbicides, biopesticides, and biocontrol agents. They can provide a reliable alternative to the use of chemical inputs and are also able to improve plant growth promotion, pest and weed control. Microorganisms, apart from the above, can also provide a new energy source by producing biofuels as well as be used for the production of enzymes used in various processes, such as the conversion of wastes and cellulose treatment.

This Special Issue focuses on the role of microorganisms in providing new clean solutions for achieving Environmental Sustainability. We welcome the following article types: original articles, critical reviews, mini-reviews, opinions, research notes, and short communications. In this issue, we aim to provide a snapshot of microbial biodiversity, bioremediation processes, degradation of pollutants, degradation and removal of contaminants as well as crop protection. We also welcome research and review articles on Actinobacteria not only as antibiotics producers, but also as promoters of crop protection and agents for the treatment of pollutants and wastes.

Dr. Eleni Giannoutsou
Dr. Ioannis-Dimosthenis Adamakis
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Actinobacteria
  • Crop protection
  • Pollutants/contaminants
  • Waste treatment
  • Plant growth promotion

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

15 pages, 1288 KiB  
Article
Bacterial Isolates from Greek Sites and Their Efficacy in Degrading Petroleum
by Georgia C. Ntroumpogianni, Eleni Giannoutsou, Amalia D. Karagouni and Alexandros L. Savvides
Sustainability 2022, 14(15), 9562; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14159562 - 3 Aug 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1900
Abstract
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a major organic pollutant, not only because they do not self-degenerate but also because they accumulate in the food chain and give rise to serious repercussions in terms of biodiversity sustainability. Petroleum-degrading bacteria have long been used as [...] Read more.
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a major organic pollutant, not only because they do not self-degenerate but also because they accumulate in the food chain and give rise to serious repercussions in terms of biodiversity sustainability. Petroleum-degrading bacteria have long been used as a promising solution in the effort to biodegrade crude oil. In this study, new isolates from specific Greek environments displaying various levels of crude oil contamination, as well as isolates belonging to the ATHUBA collection, were thoroughly investigated for their capacity to degrade crude oil. Furthermore, the presence of nahH and alkJ genes in the above bacterial isolates, as well as their ability to form agglomerates or release surfactants, was investigated. Two consortia were formed, and their ability to degrade crude oil was tested, achieving similar degrading capacities as those observed with the individual strains. A Pseudomonas plecoglossicida isolate demonstrated the highest percentage (76.7%) ability to degrade crude oil. The biodegradation rate of this isolate was further evaluated by measuring the alkanes/hopanes ratio over a period of ten days, exhibiting a higher degradation rate in short-chain (C11–C21) alkanes, whereas a decrease in the ratio was observed when the number of carbons in petroleum increased. This is the first detailed report on bacterial communities in oil-polluted areas of Greece that contain a variety of bacteria with the ability to degrade PAHs in contaminated sites and may provide a novel alternative to various bioremediation processes or be used as inocula in autochthonous bioaugmentation procedures for crude oil biodegradation. Full article
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