Collection

Contribution of microbial succession in the contaminated environments

Submission status
Closed
Microorganisms and their uniqueness capabilities with unpredictable nature, given a particular set of ecological and cultural conditions, have made them possible potential candidates for resolving environmental issues. In particular, the use of microorganisms is cost-effective, eco-friendly with sustainable benefits. In addition, microbes are inherently attractive to determine a spectacular evolution of study from conventional methodologies to modern technologies which offer an efficient way to protect environment and new methods of environmental monitoring. The capability of some microbes to inhabit hostile environments incompatible with most forms of life indicates that their habitats define the extent of the biosphere and delineate the barrier between the biosphere and geosphere. Furthermore, it is plausible that they allowed life, and hence the biosphere, to recover after major catastrophes suffered by planet Earth that caused the mass extinction. Microbial ubiquity in the biosphere and diverse activities make microbes pivotal agents of planetary and ecosystem functioning: they mediate and regulate biogeochemical cycles and recycling of biological materials and waste, constitute key producers and sinks of greenhouse gases and are thus important determinants of climate change, play essential roles in soil structure and fertility, and in the quality and productivity of land, seas, lakes and rivers. Microbes, therefore, are also key members of the committee of stewards of planetary health and sustainability. Ultimately, in this way to a meaningful and significant extent, we can bridge the gap between the horrifying environmental distress and the hostile activities that have been constantly provoked by human kind—by getting the microorganisms into action. This topical collection will be a valuable source of basic knowledge and recent developments in the clean technologies and pollution-associated diseases and abnormalities in the context of microorganisms. The collection covers on the various environmental problems in the field of bioremediation, it provides a detailed knowledge on the various types of toxic environmental pollutants discharged from different sources, their toxicological effects in environments, humans, animals and plants as well as their biodegradation and bioremediation approaches.

Editors

  • Govarthanan Muthusamy, Daegu, South Korea Govarthanan Muthusamy, Daegu, South Korea

    Govarthanan Muthusamy, Daegu, South Korea

    Dr. Govarthanan Muthusamy is a Research Professor at Kyungpook National University, South Korea. After his PhD at Jeonbuk National University (JBNU), South Korea, he was involved in different research projects in JBNU, before moving to Japan. He significantly contributed to the research in Biodegradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), phytoremediation and bioremediation of heavy metals. Main fields of expertise are: Bioremediation and eco-toxicology of toxic heavy metal(loid)s; eco-technological remediation of toxic soil pollutants; environmental microbiology; plant-metal-microbe interactions; microbial community analysis.

Articles (39 in this collection)