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Microbial Bioremediation and Biodegradation of Hydrocarbons, Heavy Metals, and Radioactive Wastes in Solids and Wastewaters

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Microbial Bioremediation & Biodegradation

Abstract

In this era of rapid industrialization, there is an increase in humongous use of nonrenewable resources which generate wastes in terms of hydrocarbons, heavy metals, and radioactive wastes. Increase in the wastes generated is a great threat to the environment as well as human life. The hydrocarbon industry, mining industry, and increase in the use of radioactive sources of energy created enormous toxic heaps, which are not degradable for years to come. No novel technology has been developed to rapidly tackle these critical masses of toxic wastes. Underground dumping and deep-sea disposal are the only treatment methods are being carried out. The great marine oil spill in the Mexican Gulf and wastes of nuclear warheads are a critical threat to humankind. The primary focus of the chapter is the treatment of these wastes through different biological processes and routes. A huge number of treatment studies on different wastes utilizaing biological methods are being done. Less heed is given to wastes such as hydrocarbon wastes, heavy metals, and more specifically radioactive wastes. Major challenges in the treatment of these wastes are that they have slower rate of degradation and handling of these kinds of wastes becomes a major roadblock. Chemolithotrophs and chemoorganotrophs are the major microorganisms which utilize chemical energy for their functioning. Facultative anaerobes and obligate anaerobes are known for their high COD treatment efficiency which is highly effective in treatment of such category of wastes. This chapter focuses on the use of these microorganisms for the treatment of the three main kinds of wastes, i.e., hydrocarbons, heavy metals, and radioactive wastes from solids and wastewaters.

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Acknowledgment

We would like to thank the School of Biochemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University), and MHRD, India, for providing the resources required for the completion of this project. The authors would also like to thank the Institute’s main library for providing tools for proofreading to improve and enhance the manuscript.

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  1. Bioreactor Design and Cell Processing Laboratory, School of Biochemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, UP, India

    Rahul Kumar & Subir Kundu

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  1. Rahul Kumar
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Correspondence to Subir Kundu .

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  1. Environmental Microbiology Lab, Bharuch, Gujarat, India

    Maulin P. Shah

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Kumar, R., Kundu, S. (2020). Microbial Bioremediation and Biodegradation of Hydrocarbons, Heavy Metals, and Radioactive Wastes in Solids and Wastewaters. In: Shah, M. (eds) Microbial Bioremediation & Biodegradation. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-1812-6_4

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