This book explores imaginative and ambitious multidisciplinary techniques to remove pollutants from a variety of environments. It addresses broader issues surrounding bioremediation and includes detailed protocols of various effective techniques.

Measurement of Bioaccessibility of Organic Pollutants in Soil.- Heavy Metal Bioavailability and Bioaccessibility in Soil.- Addressing PCR Biases in Environmental Microbiology Studies.- MPN- and Real-Time-Based PCR Methods for the Quantification of Alkane Monooxygenase Homologous Genes (alkB) in Environmental Samples.- Application of Fingerprinting Molecular Methods in Bioremediation Studies.- Using Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (T-RFLP) Analysis to Assess Microbial Community Structure in Compost Systems.- Combination of Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization with Staining Techniques for Cell Viability and Accumulation of PHA and polyP in Microorganisms in Complex Microbial Systems.- Ecophysiological Analysis of Microorganisms in Complex Microbial Systems by Combination of Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization with Extracellular Staining Techniques.- Applications of DNA-Stable Isotope Probing in Bioremediation Studies.- Two-Dimensional Gel Electrophoresis: Discovering Biomolecules for Environmental Bioremediation.- The Application of Molecular Techniques to the Study of Wastewater Treatment Systems.- Plasmid-Mediated Bioaugmentation of Wastewater Microbial Communities in a Laboratory-Scale Bioreactor.- The Role of Decision Support for Bioremediation Strategies, Exemplified by Hydrocarbons for In Site and Ex Situ Procedures.- Monitored Natural Attenuation.- Application of Bioassays for the Ecotoxicity Assessment of Contaminated Soils.- Community-Level Physiological Profiling.

Since its first systematic application during the 1970s, bioremediation, or the exploitation of a biological system’s degradative potential to combat toxic pollutants such as heavy metals, polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), cyanides, and radioactive material, has proven itself over time, and the many advances in molecular techniques have only amplified its utility.  In Bioremediation: Methods and Protocols, experts in the field explore imaginative and ambitious multidisciplinary techniques that will enable more predictable removal of pollutants from a variety of environments.  The easy-to-follow volume addresses some of the broader issues such as the effect of the environment in determining the availability and fate of organic and inorganic compounds and how choices around the most appropriate bioremediation process can be arrived at, as well as detailed complementary techniques that support the effective deployment and monitoring of a bioremediation approach.  Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology™ series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible protocols, and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and cutting-edge, Bioremediation: Methods and Protocols offers researchers a series of invaluable techniques certain to enhance their work with environmental contamination.

From the reviews:“Bioremediation is an area with growing importance … and the publication of this book timely. This book provides an array of molecular applications in the fields of bioremediation and microbial ecology. It is both informative and practical, the examples chosen are highly relevant and the protocols clearly written. It is a very useful handbook for microbiologists and environmental professionals with special interests in bioremediation. I also find this book a good source of inspiration for devising projects for our final year undergraduate and postgraduate students.” (Diane Purchase, Microbiology Today, June, 2010)

Includes accessible and comprehensive guidance on the strategic and operational decisions to determine the most effective protocols to achieve successful bioremediation within an environment Offers authoritative advice ranging from monitoring and assessing the impact of pollutants on biological community structure and activity, to choosing specific techniques to bioremediate contaminated environments and quantify their outcomes Details complementary molecular and physiological techniques used in bioremediation studies, offering insights into the applications and pitfalls of each Provides broad coverage of the application of cutting-edge molecular techniques to meet the challenges of environmental pollution Comprehensive guidance on overcoming challenges that are frequently encountered during bioremediation studies such as the limitation of molecular approaches and bioaccesibility of pollutants