Environmental Biotechnology PDF

Environmenta l Biotechnology What is biotechnology? “Any technique that uses living organisms or substances from those organisms, to make or modify a product, to improve plant or animals, or to develop microorganism for specific uses” Environmental biotechnology is a system of science and engine...

Environmenta l Biotechnology What is biotechnology? “Any technique that uses living organisms or substances from those organisms, to make or modify a product, to improve plant or animals, or to develop microorganism for specific uses” Environmental biotechnology is a system of science and engineering knowledge related to the use of microorganisms and their products in the prevention, treatment, and monitoring of environmental pollution through solid, liquid, and gaseous wastes biotreatment, bioremediation of polluted environments, and biomonitoring of environmental and treatment processes. In other simple words Environmental Biotechnology - the development, use and regulation of biological systems for remediation of contaminated environments (land, air, water), and for environment-friendly processes.  It is used to detect, analyze, remediate and monitor the contaminants released in the environment due to different anthropogenic activities. There are many contaminants that are released from the different sources in the environment. Pollution Objectives of Environmental Biotechnology The major objectives are: To adopt biotechnology for controlling contaminants at the source level before they enter the environment. To remediate contaminants when they enter environment by any means. To develop eco-friendly approaches for the testing, analysis and detection of contaminants in the environment. Environmental Biotechnology Principles Environmental Biotechnology is grounded in the interplay of several principles: Micro-organisms and their function in ecosystems. Genomics and the role of genetic material. Biochemical processes responsible for transformations in the environment. Biotechnological agents used in environmental biotechnology include Bacteria and Archaea, Fungi, Algae, and Protozoa. Bacteria and Archaea are prokaryotic microorganisms. Prokaryotes are the most active organisms participating in the biodegradation of organic matter and are used in all areas of environmental biotechnology.  Fungi are eukaryotic organisms that assimilate organic substances. Fungi are important degraders of biopolymers and are used in solid waste treatment, especially in composting, or in soil bioremediation. Fungal biomass can also be used as an adsorbent of  Algae are eukaryotic microorganisms that assimilate light energy and are used in environmental biotechnology for the removal of organic matter and nutrients from water exposed to light. Protozoa are unicellular animals that absorb and digest organic food. Protozoa play an important role in the treatment of industrial hazardous solid, liquid, and gas wastes by grazing on bacterial cells, thus maintaining adequate bacterial biomass levels in the treatment systems and helping to reduce cell concentrations in the waste COMPARISON OF BIOTECHNOLOGICAL TREATMENT AND OTHER METHODS The pollution of water, soil, solid wastes, and air can be prevented or removed by physical, chemical, physicochemical, or biological (biotechnological) methods. The advantages of biotechnological treatment of wastes are as follows: 1. Biodegradation or detoxication of a wide spectrum of hazardous substances by natural microorganisms 2. Availability of a wide range of biotechnological methods for complete destruction of hazardous wastes 3. A diverse set of conditions that are suitable for biotechnological methods However, there are also many disadvantages of biotechnological methods for the prevention of pollution and treatment of environment and wastes: 1. Nutrients and electron acceptors must be added to intensify the biotreatment 2. Optimal conditions must be maintained in the treatment system 3. There may be unexpected or negative effects of applied microorganisms, such as emission of cells, odors or toxic gases during the biotreatment, presence or release of pathogenic, toxigenic, opportunistic microorganisms into the environment 4. There may be unexpected problems in the management of the biotechnological system because of the complexity and high sensitivity of the biological processes