Singh - Principles and Applications of Environmental Biotechnology for a Sustainable Future

Springer Science+Business Media Singapore 2017

Ram Lakhan Singh 1

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Abstract

Environment is a complex mixture of many variables including all the physical and biological surroundings and their interactions. Each organism is affected by environmental problems like depletion of ozone layer, global warming, overpopulation, depletion of natural resources, loss of biodiversity, etc. Current environmental problems make us vulnerable to disasters and tragedies, now and in the future. The endangered status of environmental health could be changed only through the understanding of interactions among various living organisms and physical, and chemical phenomena. Environmental biotechnology is concerned with the application of biotechnology as an emerging technology in the context of agriculture, resource conservation, environmental protection, monitoring of contaminated environment, and waste management. It can be considered as a driving force for integrated environmental protection leading to sustainable development. Sustainable development defines progress in human well-being that can be extended or prolonged over many generations rather than just a few years. It requires a framework for integrating environmental policies and development strategies in a global context. Environmental biotechnology may revamp the possibilities for the prevention of pollution, treatments of solid waste and wastewater, manufacturing with less pollution or less raw materials, ensuring the health of the environment through biomonitoring, and genetic engineering. Since environmental biotechnology has a large potential to contribute to the prevention, detection, and remediation of environmental pollution and degradation of waste, it is a sustainable way to develop clean processes and products, less harmful, with reduced environmental impact than their forerunners. Its role is important with reference to clean technology options in the industrial, agroforestry, food, raw material, and mineral sectors.

Keywords

Environment is a complex mixture of many variables including all the physical and biological surroundings and their interactions. It encompasses all living and nonliving things occurring naturally on earth or some region thereof (Fig. ). Our environment is constantly changing. An environmental problem arises whenever there is a change in the quality or quantity of any environmental factor which directly or indirectly affects the health and well-being of human in an adverse manner. Each organism is affected by environmental problems like depletion of ozone layer, global warming, overpopulation, depletion of natural resources, loss of biodiversity, etc. Current environmental problems make us vulnerable to disasters and tragedies, now and in the future. Human population is growing at alarming rate, and this leads to the problems including shortage of our resources, overcrowding, food shortages, social conflict and health, and survival of other species. The rapidly growing human population is accelerating the destruction of tropical forests, grasslands, wetlands, and other biologically rich landscapes for their needs, resulting in to loss of most of the wild species and habitat alteration as well as a reduction of biological varieties and abundance that could severely limit our future options. It was the industrial revolution that gave birth to environmental pollution as we know it today. Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that causes adverse change. The agents which cause environmental pollution are known as pollutant, a physical, chemical, or biological substance unintentionally released into the environment which is directly or indirectly harmful to human and other living organisms or nonliving materials. The major source of environmental pollution is human activities that directly or indirectly affect the environment adversely. The development of multiple human activities (in industry, transport, agriculture, domestic space), change in the living standard, and higher consumer demand increase the pollution of air (with CO2, NOx, SO, greenhouse gases, particulate matters), water (with chemical and biological pollutants, nutrients, leachate, oil spills), and soil (due to the disposal of hazardous waste, spreading of pesticides). The burning of fossil fuels releases the CO2 and other greenhouse gases that causes the environmental pollution leading to global warming which may be responsible for failure of monsoon, acid rain, cyclones, tsunamis, floods, and earthquakes. Chlorinated compound like chlorofluorocarbon used in refrigeration and air conditioning contributes to depletion in ozone layer. The industrial revolution brought an infusion of untreated chemicals and wastes into local streams that served as the water supply source. The polluting industries are pulp and paper industries, fertilizer plants, dyeing industries, tanneries, cement industries, oil refineries, etc. These industries are polluting the environment beyond repair, as well as they are hazardous to human safety and health. Waste generation from domestic and industrial activities is a side effect of consumption and production activities and tends to rise with the level of economic advancement. Pollutants from these wastes affect the natural environment which consequently affects the ecosystem. Some of these pollutants can be readily degraded or removed by means of biotechnological applications, which involve the action of microbes and plants under certain conditions.