Phytoremediation Technology for the Removal of Heavy Metals and Other Contaminants from Soil and Water

Vineet Kumar is currently working as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Botany at Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya (GGV), Bilaspur, India and teaches Environmental Microbiology and Cell and Molecular Biology at the same Institution. Before his joining, he worked as Assistant Professor and Academic Coordinator at the Vinayak Vidyapeeth, Meerut, India. Kumar received M.Sc. and M.Phil. degree in Microbiology from Ch. Charan Singh University, Meerut, India. He earned his Ph.D. in Environmental Microbiology from Babasaheb Bhimaro Ambedkar (A Central) University, Lucknow, India and later worked at the Dr. Shakuntala Misra National Rehabilitation University, Lucknow, India as a Guest Faculty. He was a Senior Researcher in the School of Environmental Sciences at Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi, India and worked on biodiesel production from oleaginous microbes and industrial sludge. He awarded a Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship by the University Grants Commission, India to support his doctoral work on “Distillery Wastewater Treatment” in 2012. His research interests include Bioremediation, Phytoremediation, Metagenomics, Wastewater Treatment, Environmental Monitoring, and Bioenergy and Biofuel Production. Currently, his research mainly focuses on the development of integrated and sustainable methods that can help in minimizing or eliminating hazardous substances in the environment. He is the author of numerous research/review articles published in international peer-reviewed journals from Springer Nature, Frontiers, and Elsevier on the different aspects of bioremediation, phytoremediation, and metagenomics of industrial waste polluted sites. In addition, he has published 10 Books on Phytoremediation and Bioremediation from CRC Press (Taylor & Francis Group), and Elsevier Inc., USA. His recently published books are ‘Recent Advances in Distillery Waste Management for Environmental Safety’ (From CRC Press; Taylor & Francis Group, USA), and ‘New Trends In Removal Of Heavy Metals From Industrial Wastewater’ (From Elsevier Inc. USA), Microbe-Assisted Phytoremediation of Environmental Pollutants: Recent Advances and Challenges (from CRC Press; Taylor & Francis Group, USA). He is also a reviewer for many other international journals. He is an active member of numerous scientific societies and has served on the editorial board of the journal Current Research in Wastewater Management. As part of his interest in teaching biology, he is founder of the Society for Green Environment, India (website: www.sgeindia.org). He can be reached at drvineet.micro@gmail.com; vineet.way18@gmail.com. Dr. Maulin P. Shah is Chief Scientist and Head of the Industrial Wastewater Research Lab, Division of Applied and Environmental Microbiology Lab at Enviro Technology Ltd., Ankleshwar, Gujarat, India. His work focuses on the impact of industrial pollution on the microbial diversity of wastewater following cultivation-dependent and cultivation-independent analysis. His major work involves isolation, screening, identification, and genetically engineering high-impact microbes for the degradation of hazardous materials. His research interests include biological wastewater treatment, environmental microbiology, biodegradation, bioremediation, and phytoremediation of environmental pollutants from industrial wastewaters. Dr. Sushil Kr. Shahi is currently working as an Associate Professor in the Department of Botany, School of Life Sciences at Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya, Bilaspur, Chhatisgarh, India. He has obtained his Ph.D. in 1998 from Allahabad University; Allahabad on Antimycotic studies of some plants (control of dermatophytoses in human beings’. After completion of his education he joined Allahabad University as a research scientist and worked up to 6 years and in 2004 he joined the JV College, Baraut as Lecturer in Microbiology for teaching and research. In 2007 he left the College and joined Ch. Charan Singh (CCS) University, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India as Assistant Professor in Microbiology for teaching and research, after 7 years of servicing in CCS University he joined Guru Ghasidas University as Associate Professor in Botany on 2013. He has the experience of 25 years in teaching and research in herbal technology, herbal antimicrobials, Environmental microbial technology and nano-biotechnology, IPR. He has published more than 56 original research articles in various reputed national and international journals. He has published 08 books from CRC Press, USA, CBS Publisher India. He has been awarded a Fellow of various national level scientific societies viz., Indian Botanical Society, Indian Phytopathological Society, Indian Society of Plant Pathologist, International Young Scientist Association. He has developed herbal medicine for the control of dermatophytosis and onchycomycosis, tinea in animal and human beings; he has also developed various microbial and herbal formulations for the control of plant disease. Some products are as follows: PROTECTON (Post harvest spoilage in fruits (apple and Grapes), NAILGUARD (Onchomycosis (fungal nail infection), PESTOBAN (Herbal pesticide for post harvested food grains), SKINPRO (Dermatophytosis). He obtained Patent on some herbal product for the control of fungal disease in humans in USA, UK, Japan and India: Presently he is trying to develop some eco-friendly technology as microbial based fuel, biodegradable polythene, bioremediation of toxic pollutant from environment.