environmental pollution.
Introduction
Environmental pollution is the buildup and accumulation of toxic heavy metals in the air, water, and land that reduce the ability of the contaminated sites to support life. The rise in human population density and anthropogenic activity has led to degradation of the Earth’s surface through misuse of environmental resources and improper disposal of wastes. In addition, the advancements in science and technology as well as the increase in industry have led to an increase in the dumping of wastes, ranging from raw sewage to nuclear waste, into the environment, which poses a serious problem for the survival of humanity. The conventional methods of waste disposables such as digging hole and dumping wastes, heat incineration, and chemical decomposition of contaminants were found to be more complex, uneconomical, and also lack public acceptance (Karigar and Rao, 2011). Microbial bioremediation is an alternative, cost-effective and eco-friendly technology that provides sustainable ways to clean up contaminated environments. Recently, a wide variety of organisms such as bacteria, fungi, algae, and plants with efficient bioremediating properties were successfully employed for efficient removal of toxicants from the polluted environments (Vidali, 2001; Leung, 2004).
Environmental pollution is one of the most serious global challenges. Wild-type organisms have a slower degradation rate of hazardous materials. Currently, advanced molecular biology tools along with conventional approaches allow us to rapidly degrade or accumulate hazardous materials from environments. This can help modify microorganisms to gain the ability to sense and degrade hazardous chemicals from contaminated sites, in turn, allowing us to grow vegetation and improve crop productivity. In this chapter, conventional and advanced molecular biology tools for the removal and detoxification of contaminants from soil and water to improve environmental conditions are highlighted.
Environmental pollution represents an obstacle to the economical exploitation of coal deposits. In industrialized countries, the rules for protection of the environment are stricter than in developing countries.
Thus, to get a license to open mines involves lengthy procedures which in turn cause delay. Indian authorities have also started to put stringent conditions in place regarding environmental pollution. Consequently, ecological problems can be totally prevented, but such measures are costly.
Some environmental consequences of mining and processing coal deposits are deforestation, land damage, water pollution and hydrological damage, air pollution, noise pollution, ground vibration and rock dispersal, and visual impact. Such environmental impacts are increasing day by day because the scale of individual mining operations is increasing as mining of lower grade deposits increases. The current trend toward surface mining, and mine mechanization, is also aggravating such problems.
NOTE:The tree has saved us, so we should keep the tree alive
Nice article.