Biodegradation and Bioremediation

Biodegradation has been the subject of active concern for the past 40 years. Recently, the field has expanded to encompass a wide variety of chemicals, a broad array of issues, and the development of the new bioremediation industry. This book presents the basic principles of biodegradation and shows how these principles relate to bioremediation. Authored by a world-renowned environmental microbiologist, Biodegradation and Bioremediation presents microbiological, chemical, toxicological, environmental, engineering, and technological aspects of the subject.

Praise for the First Edition

"Serves an important function in presenting a complete picture of biodegradation in the environment. I[t] provides biologists, chemists and engineers interested in this process with information complementary to their own fields and thus belongs on the shelf of everybody active in the study of biodegradation and bioremediation." --JOURNAL OF CONTAMINANT HYDROLOGY

"A compendious account of the field in a form accessible to microbiologists, chemists, toxicologists and environmental scientists and engineers. His book succeeds admirably...Well indexed, its diagrams large and clear....It will serve as an excellent text for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate courses and as an invaluable source of reference to all those with a research interest in this expanding field." --SOCIETY FOR GENERAL MICROBIOLOGY QUARTERLY

"The book could serve as a text for an upper-level or graduate class in the principles of biodegradation and bioremediation for microbiologists and environmental engineers. In summary, Alexander has prepared a cogent and well-organized review of the principles of biodegradation in a book that should prove useful to a great many people." --JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY

"Provides a unity of style, and generally, an excellent intellectual flow between topics....Alexander does a spectacular job of addressing the kinetics of degradation reactions--the discussion is one of the best I have seen, especially for those not well versed in mathematics." --BIOSCIENCE

"Written by a very knowledgeable scientist...A very timely book...Recommended as a valuable resource for environmental scientists, engineers, or other persons with an interest in the use of organisms for environmental decontamination and a need for better insight into the principles underlying bioremediation." --SOIL SCIENCE

Growth-linked Biodegradation
Acclimation
Detoxication
Activation
Kinetics
Threshold
Sorption
Nonaqueous-Phase Liquids and Compounds with Low Water Solubility
Bioavailability: Aging, Sequestering and Complexing
Effect of Chemical Structure on Biodegradation
Predicting Products of Biodegradation
Cometabolism
Environmental Effects
Inoculation
Bioremediation Technologies: In Situ and Solid Phase
Bioremediation Technologies: Ex Situ and Bioreactors
Bioremediation of Metals and Inorganic Pollutants
Recalcitrant Molecules
Formation and Biodegradation of Air Pollutants
Appendix: Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Structures