Catherine N. Mulligan - Böcker

Microbially derived surfactants, called biosurfactants, provide a promising alternative to synthetic surfactants, displaying better availability and being generally nontoxic and biodegradable. Biosurfactants also have the advantage of diverse chemical properties and the potential to be less expensive. They demonstrate properties such as reducing surface tension, stabilizing emulsions, and promoting foaming. With many promising research results, a consolidated resource of biosurfactant knowledge is needed to build a framework for further development of applications. Biosurfactants: Research Trends and Applications fills this need, covering the latest research and development on relevant aspects of biological, biochemical, and physical processes and applications of biosurfactants.This book reviews current knowledge and the latest advances, strategies for improving production processes, and the status of biosynthetic and genetic regulation mechanisms for microbial surfactants. Chapters present research findings on specific biosurfactants, such as high surface activity rhamnolipids, yeast-derived sophorolipids, lipopeptides, and trehalose lipids that have potential for environmental, industrial, and medical uses. The book also describes sources and characteristics of marine microbial biosurfactants, biosurfactants made from food processing by-products and biosurfactants used in the food industry, and biosurfactants for green synthesis of nanoparticles.The text presents applications of biosurfactants in environmental industries and examines interactions between metals and various classes of biosurfactants and related metal remediation technologies. The final chapter reviews the state of the art of biosurfactants and their applications, and proposes approaches to overcome any challenges.

Although valuable resources in river basins and other aqueous environments, sediments often receive much less attention from researchers, policymakers, and other professionals than other components of the ecosystem. Until now. Highlighting the important role that sediments play in the geoenvironment, Sediments Contamination and Sustainable Remediation focuses on sediment management for the purpose of environmental cleanup or management. It provides the in-depth understanding of the sediment-water environment needed to develop better management practices and meet sustainability requirements.The book discusses the contamination of sediments resulting from discharge of pollutants, excessive nutrients, and other hazardous substances from anthropogenic activities. It examines impacts observed as a result of these discharges, including the presence of hazardous materials and eutrophication, and elucidates the remediation techniques developed to restore the health of sediments and how to evaluate the remediation technologies using indicators. The text explores the problems inherent in dealing with contaminated sediments in rivers, lakes, and estuaries and includes numerous case studies that illustrate key concepts.The authors provide wide-ranging coverage of the topic and include methods for evaluating the effectiveness of different remediation technologies. They make the case for the development and application of innovative management practices that create long-term solutions to sediment contamination to reduce natural resource depletion, continued landfill contamination, and diminished biodiversity in the aquatic geoenvironment.

This third edition focuses on the application of geoenvironmental engineering procedures and practices to mitigate and reduce the adverse impacts on the geoenvironment from anthropogenic sources including emerging contaminants such as micro and nanoplastics, pharmaceuticals, and fire retarding chemicals. Thoroughly updated with three new chapters and extensive use of case studies to showcase examples of sustainable practices, this new edition discusses many activities that are still generating geoenvironmental impacts that are adverse to the quality and health of the geoenvironment. It includes new tools and procedures that have been developed to evaluate and minimize adverse impacts. This new edition: Discusses the impacts of climate change and potential mitigation. Addresses emerging contaminants of concern. Introduces an entirely new chapter on sustainable nitrogen and carbon cycles. Includes new case studies like the Fukushima case study on sediments and microbial induced precipitation processes. Provides new practices and tools for sustainability to evaluate and to minimize adverse impacts Discusses the aspects of social sustainability and cultural aspects of the geoenvironment.This book is intended for professionals, researchers, academics, senior undergraduate students, and graduate students in geotechnical engineering, geoenvironmental engineering, site remediation, sustainable development, and earth sciences.

Natural attenuation has become an effective and low-cost alternative to more expensive engineered remediation. This new edition updates the principles and fundamentals of natural attenuation of contaminants with a broader view of the field. It includes new methods for evaluating natural attenuation mechanisms and microbial activity at the lab and field scales. Case studies, actual treatments and protocols, theoretical processes, case studies, numerical models, and legal aspects in the natural attenuation of organic and inorganic contaminants are examined. Challenges and future directions for the implementation of natural attenuation and enhanced remediation techniques are also considered.

In the seven years since the publication of the first edition of Sustainable Practices in Geoenvironmental Engineering, the combination of population growth and increased exploitation of renewable and non-renewable natural resources has added increased stresses on the quality and health of the geoenvironment. This is especially true when viewed in the context of the growing demand for food and shelter, energy and mineral resources, and their resultant effects on the natural capital of the geoenvironment. Completely revised and updated, this second edition of a bestseller introduces and discusses the concept of "stressors" and their impacts on the geoenvironment.See What’s New in the Second Edition: Clear definition of the geoenvironmentNew tools and remediation technologies, new management methods for geohazards, and enhanced coverage of social and economic sustainabilityInnovative approaches and techniques for reaching geoenvironmental sustainabilityMore detail on treatment technologies, both in situ and ex situ Discussion on the mitigation of geodisasters Additional sections to discuss sustainability assessment protocolsUpdated information on models for prediction of contaminant behaviorThe authors explore the technologies that take into account targets, exposure routes (if applicable), future land use, acceptable risks, legislation, and resultant emissions/discharges in establishing the criteria and tools for evaluating technologies and protocols for environmental management of the impacted land. They then discuss how to choose the correct ones to use in different situations to protect the quality and health of natural resource and capital of the geoenvironment and ensure that these geoenvironmental natural resources and capital remain available for future generations and to develop innovative and sustainable techniques to make land more stable and safer.

Although valuable resources in river basins and other aqueous environments, sediments often receive much less attention from researchers, policymakers, and other professionals than other components of the ecosystem. Until now. Highlighting the important role that sediments play in the geoenvironment, Sediments Contamination and Sustainable Remediation focuses on sediment management for the purpose of environmental cleanup or management. It provides the in-depth understanding of the sediment-water environment needed to develop better management practices and meet sustainability requirements.The book discusses the contamination of sediments resulting from discharge of pollutants, excessive nutrients, and other hazardous substances from anthropogenic activities. It examines impacts observed as a result of these discharges, including the presence of hazardous materials and eutrophication, and elucidates the remediation techniques developed to restore the health of sediments and how to evaluate the remediation technologies using indicators. The text explores the problems inherent in dealing with contaminated sediments in rivers, lakes, and estuaries and includes numerous case studies that illustrate key concepts.The authors provide wide-ranging coverage of the topic and include methods for evaluating the effectiveness of different remediation technologies. They make the case for the development and application of innovative management practices that create long-term solutions to sediment contamination to reduce natural resource depletion, continued landfill contamination, and diminished biodiversity in the aquatic geoenvironment.

Microbially derived surfactants, called biosurfactants, provide a promising alternative to synthetic surfactants, displaying better availability and being generally nontoxic and biodegradable. Biosurfactants also have the advantage of diverse chemical properties and the potential to be less expensive. They demonstrate properties such as reducing surface tension, stabilizing emulsions, and promoting foaming. With many promising research results, a consolidated resource of biosurfactant knowledge is needed to build a framework for further development of applications. Biosurfactants: Research Trends and Applications fills this need, covering the latest research and development on relevant aspects of biological, biochemical, and physical processes and applications of biosurfactants.This book reviews current knowledge and the latest advances, strategies for improving production processes, and the status of biosynthetic and genetic regulation mechanisms for microbial surfactants. Chapters present research findings on specific biosurfactants, such as high surface activity rhamnolipids, yeast-derived sophorolipids, lipopeptides, and trehalose lipids that have potential for environmental, industrial, and medical uses. The book also describes sources and characteristics of marine microbial biosurfactants, biosurfactants made from food processing by-products and biosurfactants used in the food industry, and biosurfactants for green synthesis of nanoparticles.The text presents applications of biosurfactants in environmental industries and examines interactions between metals and various classes of biosurfactants and related metal remediation technologies. The final chapter reviews the state of the art of biosurfactants and their applications, and proposes approaches to overcome any challenges.