Sustainable And Green Technologies For Water And Environmental Management

The 28 chapters in this collection describe science-based principles and technological advances behind green technologies that can be effective solutions to pressing problems in sustainable water management.

Our Earth is considered as a natural system which organizes and controls itself. However, the present scale of anthropogenic activity is unprecedented in the history of mankind compelling the intelligentia to ponder over the scientific causes of the problems, processes and sustainable and pragmatic solutions. The current rate of resource use and consumption pattern are depleting the planet’s finite resources and damaging life-supporting ecosystems. A large number of toxic substances are increasingly found in air, water, soil, and flora and fauna. We are in the midst of a period of increasing interconnected and complex global challenges that seek action across temporal and spatial scales, diverse sectors, and concerted efforts from global citizens. The environment on account of human’s action has been experiencing imbalances and ecological catastrophe. Environmental issues like global climate change, biodiversity loss, the rapid depletion of natural resources, degradation of global commons, stratospheric ozone depletion have been restricting the safe operating space and transgressing the planetary boundaries endangering the existence of human societies. The global environmental problems if not scientifically managed may end up in the civilizational collapse. Nevertheless, the underlying commonality among these environmental issues is interrelatedness, complexity, and difficulty in identifying and implementing solutions. The global environmental challenges can be managed by adopting sustainable green technologies which dovetails the principles of environmental sustainability with social and ecological sustainability. Green growth is construed as a new development paradigm that sustains economic growth while at the same time ensuring environmental sustainability.

In the present scenario, green technologies are playing significant role in changing the course of nation’s economic growth towards sustainability and providing an alternative socio-economic model that will enable present and future generations to live in a clean and healthy environment, in harmony with nature. Green technology, which is also known as clean technology, refers to the development and extension of processes, practices, and applications that improve or replace the existing technologies facilitating society to meet their own needs while substantially decreasing the impact of human on the planet, and reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities. The concepts of Green Technologies, if endorsed and pervaded into the lives of all societies, will facilitate the aim of the Millennium Development Goals of keeping the environment intact and improve it for the civilization to survive. Green Technologies and Environmental Sustainability is focused on the goals of green technologies which are becoming increasingly important for ensuring sustainability. This book provides different perspectives of green technology in sectors like energy, agriculture, waste management and economics and contains recent advancements made towards sustainable development in the field of bioenergy, nanotechnology, green chemistry, bioremediation, degraded land reclamation. This book is written for a large and broad readership, including researchers, scientists, academicians and readers from diverse backgrounds across various fields such as nanotechnology, chemistry, agriculture, environmental science, water engineering, waste management and energy. It could also serve as a reference book for graduates and post-graduate students, faculties, environmentalist and industrial personnel who are working in the area of green technologies.

Our Earth is considered as a natural system which organizes and controls itself. However, the present scale of anthropogenic activity is unprecedented in the history of mankind compelling the intelligentia to ponder over the scientific causes of the problems, processes and sustainable and pragmatic solutions. The current rate of resource use and consumption pattern are depleting the planet’s finite resources and damaging life-supporting ecosystems. A large number of toxic substances are increasingly found in air, water, soil, and flora and fauna. We are in the midst of a period of increasing interconnected and complex global challenges that seek action across temporal and spatial scales, diverse sectors, and concerted efforts from global citizens. The environment on account of human’s action has been experiencing imbalances and ecological catastrophe. Environmental issues like global climate change, biodiversity loss, the rapid depletion of natural resources, degradation of global commons, stratospheric ozone depletion have been restricting the safe operating space and transgressing the planetary boundaries endangering the existence of human societies. The global environmental problems if not scientifically managed may end up in the civilizational collapse. Nevertheless, the underlying commonality among these environmental issues is interrelatedness, complexity, and difficulty in identifying and implementing solutions. The global environmental challenges can be managed by adopting sustainable green technologies which dovetails the principles of environmental sustainability with social and ecological sustainability. Green growth is construed as a new development paradigm that sustains economic growth while at the same time ensuring environmental sustainability.

This book focuses on green and innovative wastewater treatment technologies that promote sustainability. It discusses a variety of biological, physical, and chemical treatment technologies. It covers biological processes for recovery of value-added products from wastewater and gives an overview of enzymatic hydrolysis and bioremediation of wastewater using immobilized enzyme and fungus. It offers a case study and future trends of wastewater treatment through membrane bioreactor technologies, describes advanced chemical–physical processes for recalcitrant pollutant, and emphasizes the use of low-cost materials and cost-effective treatment methods.

This book offers insights into the recent research focusing on green solutions to address environmental pollution and its impacts. Bioremediation is a vast area that encompasses numerous innovative and cost-effective experimental and research methods involvingnumerous technologies, such as biotechnological, biochemical, microbial, marine, chemical and engineering approaches. Featuring original research and review articles by leading experts, the book explores potential solutions to the growing issues of waste management and environmental pollution and their impacts, and suggests future research directions. As such, it is a valuable resource for professionals and general readers alike.

Covers different categories of green technologies (e.g. biofuels, renewable energy sources, phytoremediation etc.,) in a nutshell -Focuses on next generation technologies which will help to attain the sustainable development -The chapters widely cover for students, faculties and researchers in the scientific arena of Environmentalists, Agriculturalists, Engineers and Policy Makers The World Environment Day 2012 is prepared to embrace green economy. The theme for 2012 encompasses various aspects of human living, ranging from transport to energy to food to sustainable livelihood. Green technology, an eco-friendly clean technology contributes to sustainable development to conserve the natural resources and environment which will meet the demands of the present and future generations. The proposed book mainly focuses on renewable energy sources, organic farming practices, phyto/bioremediation of contaminants, biofuels, green buildings and green chemistry. All of these eco-friendly technologies will help to reduce the amount of waste and pollution and enhance the nation’s economic growth in a sustainable manner. This book is aimed to provide an integrated approach to sustainable environment and it will be of interest not only to environmentalists but also to agriculturists, soil scientists and bridge the gap between the scientists and policy-makers.

Sustainable Construction Technologies: Life-Cycle Assessment provides practitioners with a tool to help them select technologies that are financially advantageous even though they have a higher initial cost. Chapters provide an overview of LCA and how it can be used in conjunction with other indicators to manage construction. Topics covered include indoor environment quality, energy efficiency, transport, water reuse, materials, land use and ecology, and more. The book presents a valuable tool for construction professionals and researchers that want to apply sustainable construction techniques to their projects. Practitioners will find the international case studies and discussions of worldwide regulation and standards particularly useful. Provides a framework for analyzing sustainable construction technologies and economic viability Introduces key credit criteria for different sustainable construction technologies Covers the most relevant construction areas Includes technologies that can be employed during the process of construction, or to the product of the construction process, i.e. buildings Analyzes international rating systems and provides supporting case studies

In order to analyse the challenges posed by the quest for sustainability, Green Technologies for Wastewater treatment: Energy Recovery and Emerging Compounds Removal evaluates water management together with energy use. The strong effects that the release of emerging pollutants such as endocrine disruptors (EDCs), pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) have in wastewater reuse applications are examined, as well as the need to optimize the energy consumption in wastewater treatment. More specifically, this volume focuses on: - Presenting the advantages linked to the application of chemically assisted primary sedimentation (CAPS) that enables energy optimization of wastewater treatment plants and points to the possibility of wastewater as a possible resource; - Discussing the analytical problems related to the analytical detection of emerging pollutants and of their transformation products; - Comparing the efficiency of MBR plants for removing trace pollutants with conventional systems; - Evaluating the application of Wet Oxidation (WO) for the treatment of aqueous effluents to remove trace pollutants; - Reviewing the application of Photo-Fenton process and complementary treatment systems (H2O2/UV-C and Fenton’s reagent) for the degradation of two industrial pollutant categories with significant endocrine disrupting properties: alkyl phenols (nonyl and octyl phenols) and bisphenol A. Green Technologies for Wastewater treatment: Energy Recovery and Emerging Compounds Removal will be of great interest to students, technicians, and academics alike who are interested in evaluating and selecting the technologies that lead to better and more sustainable treatment of these huge classes of pollutants.