Bioprocess Engineering for a Green Environment

V. Sivasubramanian

• Publisher: CRC Press
• Year: 2018
• Print ISBN: 9781138035973
• eBook ISBN: 9781351867863
• Topic: Medicine
• Subtopic: Biotechnology in Medicine

Bioprocess Engineering for a Green Environment examines numerous bioprocesses that are crucial to our day-to-day life, specifically the major issues surrounding the production of energy relating to biofuels and waste management. The nuance of this discussion is reflected by the text's chapter breakdown, providing the reader with a fulsome investigation of the energy sector; the importance of third-generation fuels; and the application of micro- and macroalgae for the production of biofuels. The book also provides a detailed exploration of biocatalysts and their application to the food industry; bioplastics production; conversion of agrowaste into polysaccharides; as well as the importance of biotechnology in bio-processing. Numerous industries discharge massive amounts of effluents into our rivers, seas, and air systems. As such, two chapters are dedicated to the treatment of various pollutants through biological operation with hopes of achieving a cleaner, greener, environment. This book represents the most comprehensive study of bioprocessing—and its various applications to the environment—available on the market today. It was furthermore written with various researchers in mind, ranging from undergraduate and graduate students looking to enhance their knowledge of the topics presented to scholars and engineers interested in the bioprocessing field, as well as members of industry and policy-makers.

• Provides a comprehensive overview of bioprocesses that apply to day-to-day living.
• Is learner-centered, providing detailed diagrams for easy understanding.
• Explores the importance of biocatalysts and their applications to the food industry, as well as bioplastics production.
• Examines the unique capabilities of bioprocess engineering and its ability to treat various pollutants.

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1

Biotechnology and Its Significance in Environmental Protection

R. Sivashankar, A.B. Sathya, K. Vasantharaj, R. Nithya, and V. Sivasubramanian

CONTENTS

1.1 Introduction

1.2 Classification of Environmental Pollution

1.2.1 Air Pollution

1.2.2 Water Pollution

1.2.3 Soil Pollution

1.2.4 Noise Pollution

1.3 Biotechnology in Industrial Pollution Management

1.4 Bioremediation

1.4.1 Types of Bioremediation

1.4.2 Factors of Bioremediation

1.4.3 Microbial Population for Bioremediation Processes

1.5 Phytoremediation

1.5.1 Advantages of Phytoremediation

1.5.2 Disadvantages of Phytoremediation

1.6 Biosorption

1.6.1 Mechanisms Involved in Biosorption

1.7 Bioplastics

1.7.1 Efficient Use of Microbial Accumulates

1.7.2 Advantages of Bioplastics

1.8 Biofuels

1.8.1 Potential Applications of Biotechnology to Improve Renewable Fuel Production

1.8.2 Biotechnologies Applicable to Biofuels

1.9 Biogas

1.9.1 Biogas and Its Utilization

1.9.2 Utilization of Fermentation Residue

1.9.3 Fermentation

1.10 Biofertilizer and Biopesticide

1.10.1 Biofertilizer Mechanism of Action

1.10.2 Types of Biofertilizers

1.10.3 Advantages of Biofertilizers

1.10.4 Limitations of Biofertilizers

1.10.5 Types of Biopesticides

1.10.6 Advantages of Biopesticides

1.10.7 Disadvantages of Biopesticides

1.11 Biodeodorisation

1.11.1 Bioscrubbers

1.11.2 Biofilters (Biobeds)

1.11.3 Biotrickling Filters

1.12 Biosensors

1.13 Sustainable Development

1.14 Conclusion

References

1.1 Introduction

We know that a living organism cannot live by itself. Organisms interact among themselves. Hence, all organisms, such as plants, animals, and human beings, as well as the physical surroundings with which we interact, form a part of our environment. All of these constituents of the environment are dependent on each other. Thus, they maintain a balance in nature. As we are the only organisms that try to modify the environment to fulfill our needs, it is our responsibility to take the steps necessary to control environmental imbalances. Environmental imbalances give rise to various environmental problems such as pollution, soil erosion leading to floods, salt deserts and sea recession, desertification, landslides, change of river directions, extinction of species, and vulnerable ecosystems. Environmental problems lead to displacement of more complex and stable ecosystems; instead, there is depletion of natural resources, waste accumulation, deforestation, thinning of the ozone layer, and global warming. We can see the impact of environmental problems in pollution, population growth, development, industrialization, unplanned urbanization, and so on. Rapid migration and increasingly urban populations have also led to traffic congestion, water shortages, and increased solid waste. In the past few years, air, water, and noise pollution have become common visible problems in almost all urban areas. Environmental pollution is an undesirable change in the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of our air, land, and water. As a result of overpopulation, rapid industrialization, and other human activities such as agriculture and deforestation, the earth has become loaded with diverse pollutants that were released as by-products. Pollutants are generally grouped under two classes:

1. Biodegradable pollutants: Biodegradable pollutants are broken down by the activity of microorganisms and enter into the biogeochemical cycles. Examples of such pollutants are domestic waste products, urine and fecal matter, sewage, agricultural residue, paper, wood, cloth, and so on.

2. Nonbiodegradable pollutants: Nonbiodegradable pollutants are stronger chemical bondages that do not break down into simpler and harmless products. These include various insecticides and other pesticides, mercury, lead, arsenic, aluminum, plastics, and radioactive waste (Sharma 2009).

1.2 Classification of Environmental Pollution

Pollution can be broadly classified according to the environmental components that are polluted. The four broad categories are air pollution, water pollution, soil pollution (land degradation), and noise pollution. Details of these types of pollutions are discussed below, along with their preventive measures (Sharma 2009).

1.2.1 Air Pollution

Air is mainly a mixture of various gases such as oxygen, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen, which are present in a particular ratio. Whenever there is any imbalance in the ratio of these gases, air pollution is the result. The sources of air pollution can be categorized as (1) natural, such as forest fires, ash from smoking volcanoes, dust storms, and organic matter decay, or (2) human-made due to the population explosion, deforestation, urbanization, and industrialization. Certain human activities release several pollutants into the air, such as carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), hydrocarbons (HC), oxides of nitrogen (NO_x), lead, arsenic, asbestos, radioactive matter, and dust. The major threat comes from the burning of fossil fuels such as coal and petroleum products. Thermal power plants, automobiles, and industry are major sources of air pollution as well. Due to progress in the atomic energy sector, there has been an increase in atmospheric radioactivity. Mining activity adds to air pollution in the form of particulate matter. Progress in agriculture due to use of fertilizers and pesticides has also contributed to air pollution. Indiscriminate cutting of trees and clearing of forests have led to increased atmospheric carbon dioxide. Global warming is a consequence of the greenhouse effect caused by increased level of carbon dioxide (CO₂). Ozone (O₃) depletion has resulted in UV radiation striking our earth (Sharma 2009).

1.2.2 Water Pollution

Water is one of the prime necessities of life. With increasing numbers of people depending on this resource, water has become a scarce commodity. Pollution further makes much of the limited available water unfit for use. Water is said to be polluted when there is any physical, biological, or chemical change in water quality that adversely affects living organisms or makes water unsuitable for use. Sources of water pollution are mainly factories, power plants, coal mines, and oil wells situated either close to water sources or further away from sources. They discharge pollutants directly or indirectly into the water sources such as river, lakes, water streams, and so on. The harmful effects of water pollution are: (1) Human beings become victims of various waterborne diseases such as typhoid, cholera, dysentery, hepatitis, and jaundice. (2) The presence of acids and alkalis in water destroys microorganisms, thereby hindering the self-purification process in the affected bodies of water. Polluted water significantly affects agriculture. Marine ecosystems are also adversely affected. (3) Sewage waste promotes the growth of phytoplankton in bodies of water, leading to less dissolved oxygen. (4) Poisonous industrial waste present in bodies of water affects the fish population and decreases supplies of one of our sources of food. It also kills other animals living in freshwater. (5) The quality of underground water is also affected due to the toxicity and pollutant content of surface water (Sharma 2009).

1.2.3 Soil Pollution

Soil pollution occurs due to deforestation and solid waste dumping. Deforestation increases soil erosion, leading to loss of valuable agricultural land. Solid wastes such as ash, glass, peelings of fruit and vegetables, paper, clothes, plastics, rubber, leather, brick, sand, metal, waste from cattle shed, night soil, and cow dung from households and industry also pollute land and enhance land degradation. Chemicals discharged into the air, such as compounds of sulfur and lead, eventually reach the soil and pollute it. Heaps of solid waste destroy natural beauty, and the surroundings become dirty. Pigs, dogs, rats, flies, and mosquitoes visit dumped waste, and foul smells come from the waste. The waste may block the flow of water in a drain, which then becomes the breeding place for mosquitoes. Mosquitoes are carriers of the parasites malaria and dengue. Consumption of polluted water causes many diseases, such as cholera, diarrhea, and dysentery (Sharma 2009).

1.2.4 Noise Pollution

High-level noise disturbs the human environment. Because of urbanization, noise in all areas of cities has increased considerably. One of the most pervasive sources of noise in our environment today is that associated with transportation. People who live near highways are subjected to high levels of noise produced by trucks and other vehicles driving on the highways. Prolonged exposure to high noise levels is very harmful to human health. In industry and in mines, the main sources of noise pollution include blasting, heavy earth moving machines, drilling, crusher and coal handling plants, and so on. The critical value for the development of hearing problems is 80 decibels (dB). Chronic exposure to noise may cause noise-induced hearing loss, and high noise levels can contribute to cardiovascular effects. Moreover, noise can be a causal factor in workplace accidents.

Clearly, the time is now to examine our technological capabilities to protect our environment. Today, biotechnology is being considered as an emerging technology in environmental protection. It provides alterative cleaner technologies that will help to further reduce the hazardous environmental implications of traditional technologies. Biotechnology helps in environmental protection by the following actions:

• Controlling environmental pollution through biodegradation, biotransformation, and bioaccumulation of toxic compounds such as organics, metals, oil and hydrocarbons, and detergents, and so on

• Producing nonconventional, nonpolluting energy sources such as biodiesel, methanol, bioethanol, biogas, and biohydrogen

• Allowing for agricultural applications of biofertilizers and biopesticides

• Recovering resources from toxic or nontoxic wastes through biotechnological approaches

• Monitoring pollution via biosensors (Sharma 2009)

1.3 Biotechnology in Industrial Pollution Management

Biotechnology is proving its worth as a technology that can contribute to sustainable industrial development. It is also providing an increasing range of tools to help industry continue improving costs and reduce the environmental impacts of industrial processes such as textile, paper, pulp, and chemical manufacturing. It also improves environmental performance beyond what could normally be achieved using conventional chemical technologies. Industrial biotechnology is that set of technologies that come from adapting and modifying the biological organisms, products, processes, and systems found in nature for the purpose of producing goods and services. Biotechnology has evolved over the past 25–30 years into a set of powerful tools for developing and optimizing the efficiency of bioprocesses and the specific characteristics of bioproducts. Increased efficiency allows for the greater use of renewable resources without leading to their depletion, degradation of the environment, and a negative impact on the quality of life. Biotechnology can become an important tool for decoupling economic growth from degradation of the environment and quality of life. Biotechnology can also enable the design of processes and products that cannot perform using conventional chemistry or petroleum as feedstock.

Enzymes isolated from naturally occurring microorganisms, plants, and animals can be used biologically to catalyze chemical reactions with high efficiency and specificity. Compared to conventional chemical processes, biocatalytic processes usually consume less energy, produce less waste, and use less organic solvents. By imitating natural selection and evolution, the performance of naturally occurring enzymes can be improved. Enzymes can rapidly be “evolved” through mutation or genetic engineering and selected using high-throughput screening to catalyze specific chemical reactions and to optimize their performance under certain conditions such as elevated temperature. The metabolic pathways of microorganisms can also be modified by genetic engineering. The aim is to turn each cell into a highly efficient minireactor that produces in one step and at high yield what would take an organic chemist a number of steps with much lower yield (Surekah et al. 2012).

1.4 Bioremediation

Environmental biotechnology is not a new field. Composting and wastewater treatments are familiar examples of old environmental biotechnologies. However, recent studies in molecular biology and ecology offer opportunities for more efficient biological processes. Notable accomplishments of these studies include the clean-up of polluted water and land areas. Bioremediation is the process whereby organic wastes are biologically degraded under controlled conditions to an innocuous state, or to levels below concentration limits established by regulatory authorities. By definition, bioremediation is the use of living organisms, primarily microorganisms, to degrade environmental contaminants into less toxic forms. It uses naturally occurring bacteria and fungi or plants to degrade or detoxify substances hazardous to human health and/or the environment. The microorganisms may be indigenous to a contaminated area, or they may be isolated from elsewhere and brought to the contaminated site. Contaminant compounds are transformed by living organisms through reactions that take place as part of their metabolic processes. Biodegradation of a compound is often a result of the actions of multiple organisms. When microorganisms are imported to a contaminated site to enhance degradation,...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• Editor
• Contributors
• 1. Biotechnology and Its Significance in Environmental Protection
• 2. Solid Waste Management in Rural India
• 3. Bio-Based Building Materials for a Green and Sustainable Environment
• 4. Bioprocessing of Agrofood Industrial Wastes for the Production of Bacterial Exopolysaccharide
• 5. Bioprocessing for Enhanced Biological Textile Wastewater Treatment
• 6. Application of Biomaterials in Dye Wastewater Treatment
• 7. Newer Strategies in Bioprocessing of Inulin-Based Biofuel
• 8. Biodegradable Plastics for a Green and Sustainable Environment
• 9. Sustainable Production of Biofuels—A Green Spark: Technology, Economics, and Environmental Issues
• 10. Bioprocessing of Biofuels for Green and Clean Environment
• 11. Potential of Oleaginous Microorganisms in Green Diesel Production
• 12. Microwave-Assisted Pretreatment of Biomass before Transformation into Biofuel
• 13. Microalgae—A Source for Third-Generation Biofuels
• 14. Characterization and Optimization Studies on Hydroxyapatite Bioceramic Powder from Waste Eggshells
• 15. Overview of Recent Trends in Stem Cell Bioprocessing
• 16. Recovery of Metal from Electronic Waste for Sustainable Development (through Microbial Leaching/Bioprocesses)
• 17. Thermophilic Biomethanation of Food Waste for the Production of Biogas and Concomitant Use of Biogas as a Fuel Supplement for Cooking
• Index