This book is part of the Sustainable Development and Biodiversity book series, explores how microbes can help clean wastewater and protect the environment. It begins by discussing the global problem of untreated wastewater and the urgent need for faster, sludge-free treatment methods. It then covers traditional sewage treatment like wastewater-fed fishponds and move on to modern microbial approaches for treating wastewater from aquaculture, mining, petroleum, and more. The book explains how algae and bacteria can work together to clean water efficiently and how waste can be turned into clean fuels. It also looks at minimizing water pollution in industries like dairy processing, textiles, leather, and agriculture through microbial processes that reduce waste and create useful by-products like biofertilizers.

Several chapters include case studies of real-world projects, from isolating microbes in the lab to testing and applying these systems at pilot and industrial scales. Many of these technologies are patented and have already been implemented, making the content practical and globally relevant. This book is a valuable resource for researchers, environmental engineers, students, industry professionals, and policymakers interested in sustainable wastewater treatment and reducing pollution through innovative microbial solutions.

Prof. Shaon Ray Chaudhuri did her PhD in Molecular Biology from Calcutta University (2001), postdoctoral research at Jadavpur University, India; Humboldt University Germany & Technical University of Munich Germany. Recipient of multiple awards {Young Scientist Award (2003), Visitor’s (Presidents) Award (2019), NASI Reliance Industries Platinum Jubilee Award for application oriented innovations in Biological Sciences (2020), DST-Lockheed Martin India Innovation Growth Program 2014, Climate Launchpad Winner from Odisha 2019)}, she has been working as faculty in 2004 at West Bengal University of Technology (2004-2015) and Tripura (Central) University (2015 onwards). She is a fellow of National Academy of Science India and West Bengal Academy of Science and Technology. Her group specializes in development of sludge free microbial wastewater treatment systems, with 5 technologies transferred to the industry; five international (US, China, Bangladesh) and seven Indian granted patents; 71 papers and 29 book chapters, two edited books. She has received R&D funds over 9.549 crores till date and formed the first startup of Tripura University with financial assistance from BIRAC. 

Dr. Mona S. M. Mansour did her Ph.D. in Environmental Chemistry (water and wastewater treatment technologies) from Ain Shams university, Egypt in 2018. She did part of her postdoctoral research at Malmo University, Sweden (Fellowship). She was promoted to Associate Professor at the Department of Analysis and Evaluation, EPRI, Egypt. She works among the group of water and wastewater treatment using different technologies in National Research Center, Egypt. Her group specialized in biotechnology for wastewater treatment for examples MBR, SBR, wetlands. She also specialized in membrane technology for examples Microfiltration, Ultrafiltration and Nanofiltration. Her group received fund from national and international funder for scientific research projects. She has 39 published papers and six chapters