Emerging Frontiers in Environmental Biotechnology

Rising global demand for food, energy, fuels, textile and other specialty products has imposed substantial challenges for industrialization and modernization. As a result, the waste generated from industries, especially microplastics (MPs), leads to environmental degradation and air, water, land, and soil pollution. To protect public health and the environment, various scientists and engineers have investigated optimizing the commercial treatment of waste, but current commercial treatments possess limitations. In response, biotechnology looks like a promising tool for managing hazardous waste products from fields like health care, textiles, drinking water production, and environment preservation. The authors of this chapter explore how promotes the degradation of MPs, including the evolution of bio-based industries and biotechnology’s scope in emerging markets. The consolidation of biotechnology with other disciplines leads to the emergence of nanobiotechnology and bioelectronics. Biotechnology has greatly influenced agriculture, horticulture, and genetic engineering; plants and animals are being deployed to yield useful products and in the process reduce the plastic usage in our daily life. The perceptible role of environmental biotechnology in the future is also highlighted; the authors appraise the sustainable methods and promising directions for remediating MP pollution.