Advances in Environmental Biotechnology (AEB)

Dear Colleagues,

Challenges in managing contaminants from air, water, and soil are ever increasing due to the drastic changes that have occurred in the way we live our day-to-day life over several decades. We have introduced new and emerging contaminants such as antibiotics, nanoparticles, microplastics, and pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCP) and have not prevented them from entering the environment. Their adverse effects are significant. For example, algal bloom caused by excessive release of nutrients to water environment leads to contamination by algal toxins. Although pollutant removal from various liquid streams has been studied for decades, it is essential to understand how far the biological processes have been improved and have become efficient in removing pollutants from waste streams. It is important to know the advances that have been made in utilizing/manipulating various microbial consortia responsible for the removal of pollutants. Use of algae and nature-based systems and their advantages in removing pollutants also warrant thorough investigation. New and emerging contaminants in the environment also need further study as they may not only be hard to remove but could also adversely affect the microbial consortia responsible for nutrient and pollutant removal. Thus, the interaction among nutrients, new and emerging contaminants, as well as microbial consortia should be established. Hybrid systems comprising biological treatment to recover nutrients should be compared with other removal technologies for implementation which will contribute to Sustainable Development Goals. This Topic will produce articles which will shed light on the above topics and will therefore provide a snapshot of the status in pollutant and nutrient removal and emerging contaminants. We call for articles which focus on the biodegradation of pollutants in the following areas:

1. Application of Membrane Technology and Nano-Technology in the following areas, where they enhance biodegradation of pollutants an nutrients and emerging and new contaminants:

• Water treatment
• Wastewater treatment
• Hybrid treatment systems
• Treatment of emerging pollutants
• Water reuse
• Concentrate management
• Resource recovery
• Environmental protection
• Pollution prevention

 2. Water and Wastewater: Pollution Prevention and Treatment Emphasizing Biodegradation

• Advances in water and wastewater treatment
• Potable water treatment
• Industrial, pure, and ultrapure water production
• Municipal and industrial effluent treatment
• Sludge processing and disposal

3. Resources and Wastes: Management and Recovery of Materials and Energy Emphasizing the Application of Biodegradation

• Recovery and recycling of materials and products
• Energy from waste and alternative resources (microbially assisted)
• Waste minimization
• Waste management: systems and processes for energy and material recovery and waste treatment; disposal
• Solid and hazardous waste management
• Landfill leachate
• Land bioremediation and recovery

4. Air Pollution: Prevention and Treatment Utilizing Biodegradation - Conversion of gaseous pollutants to biofuels

• Biofiltration of odor causing compounds (e.g., from wastewater treatment plants)
• Hybrid bioreactor configurations for waste gas treatment
• Modelling and process control of gas phase bioreactors

5. Sustainable Catchments and Renewable Energy

• Application of biotreatment in storm water harvesting
• Microbial ecosystems and bioprocess in wetland systems
• Smart biotechnologies for sustainable water management

6. Soil Sustainability and Contaminated Soils and Sediments

• Bioremediation of contaminated lands
• Impacts of sedimentation microbial ecosystems
• Management of dredging through biological processes

Prof. Dr. Ramaraj Boopathy
Dr. Eldon R. Rene
Prof. Dr. Mark Zappi
Topic Editors