Air Pollution Prevention and Control edited by Christian Kennes & Maria C. Veiga - Book review

Air Pollution Prevention and Control: Bioreactors and Bioenergy

Edited by: Christian Kennes, Maria C. Veiga

Published: May 13, 2013
Format: Hardcover, 570 pages
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1119943310
ISBN-13: 978-1119943310
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.












"This book describes the different biodegradation processes and bioreactors available for air pollution control as well as other alternative for reducing air pollution, mainly by using more environmentally friendly fuels and biofuels, such as ethanol, hydrogen, methane, or biodiesel", write editors Christian Kennes and Maria C. Veiga, of the Department of Chemical Enineering at the University of La Coruna, Spain, in their comprehensive and pioneering book Air Pollution Prevention and Control: Bioreactors and Bioenergy. The editors provide essays that review the bioreactors and biofuels most widely used and studied over the past decade.

Christian Kennes and Maria C. Veiga present biotechnological alternatives to address the challenge of air pollution problems. Th editors focus on end of pip technologies through the optimization of bioreactors, and preventative alternatives based on biofuels to reduce the initial impact. The essays offered in the book provide a complete overview of these two different approaches to the issue of pollution. The contributors cover five major areas within the book itself.

The first part of the book deals with the fundamental and microbiological aspects. The second part covers an overview of currently used bioreactors. The third part of the book examines specific applications. The fourth part considers biofuel production and environmental impact. Part five presents applied applications and case studies.

Christian Kennes and Maria C. Veiga recognize that air pollution and the corresponding reduction in air quality present a growing international challenge. The editors provide articles from internationally recognized contributors that consider both the problem and its proven and widely accepted solutions. Instead of the previous chemical and physical treatments, the book's approach is one of microbes and other biological cleaning agents.

The editors present a complete overview of the biotechnological options and alternatives for pollution control. The articles examine the optimizing of bioreactors and processes for integrating cleaner biofuels into the system. The book considers the following areas for study and consideration:

Part I: Fundamentals and microbiological Aspects

* Introduction to air pollution
* Biodegradation and bioconversion of volatile pollutants
* Identification and characterization of microbial communities in bioreactors

Part II: Bioreactors for Air Pollution Control

* Biofilters
* Biotrickling filters
* Bioscrubbers
* Membrane bioreacotrs
* Two-phase partitioning bioreactors
* Rotating biological contactors
* Innovative bioreactors and two-stage systems

Part III: Bioprocess for Specific Applications

* Bioprocesses for removal of volatile sulfur compounds from gas streams
* Bioprocesses for removal of nitrogen oxides
* Biogas upgrading

Part IV: Environmentally Friendly Bioenergy

* Biogas
* Biohydrogen
* Catalytic biodiesel production
* Microalgal biodiesel
* Bioethanol

Part V: Case Studies

* Biotrickling filtration of waste gases from the viscose industry
* Biotrickling filters for removal of volatile organic compounds
* Industrial bioscrubbers for the food and waste industries
* Desulfurization of biogas in biotrickling filters
* Full-scale biogase upgrading

For me, the power of the book is how the editors, Christian Kennes and Maria C. Veiga, provide essays from leading international experts that provide a complete overview of the bioprocesses for the reduction and removal of air pollutants. This groundbreaking book provides a biotechnological methodology that includes bioreactors and microbial alternatives to traditional chemical and physical solutions to air pollutant removal or mitigation.

The essays present the foundational and fundamental concepts in the field, with an emphasis on understanding the biotechnological aspects of contaminated air streams. To help guide students and professional practitioners and engineers, the book contains several case studies that demonstrate the processes and illustrate the principles in action in the real world. Overall, the book is an excellent guide to the major bioreactors employed in the reduction and removal of carcinogenic and toxic air pollutants.

I highly recommend the landmark and all encompassing book Air Pollution Prevention and Control: Bioreactors and Bioenergy edited by Christian Kennes and Maria C. Veiga, to any students, faculty, researchers, in environmental engineering, biotechnology, and applied microbiology, business leaders in industries facing air pollution challenges, and government policy makers seeking alternative concepts for air pollution control. This book provides the most proven and widely accepted biotechnological solutions to any air pollutant based problems.