Applied Bioremediation and Phytoremediation

The huge expansion of the chemical and petroleum industries in the twentieth century has resulted in the production of a vast array of chem­ ical compounds and materials that have transformed our lives. The associated large-scale manufacturing, processing and handling activi­ ties have caused a serious deterioration in environmental quality and created threats to human health. These negative impacts have led to responses and regulations requiring remedial action in support of envi­ ronmental sustainability. of biotechnological methods through bioremediation, Application has gained prominence as an option for soil remediation methods. Bioremediation is a multidisciplinary approach where biologists, chem­ ists, soil scientists and engineers work as team to develop and imple­ ment remediation processes. Bioremediation has now been used successfully to remediate many petroleum-contaminated sites. However, there are as yet no commercial technologies commonly used to reme­ diate the most recalcitrant contaminants. Nevertheless, bioremediation is a rapidly advancing field and new bio-based remedial technologies are continuing to emerge.