under study, yielding numerous results from various sites under various conditions.
Other chemical reductants, such as dithionate, are discussed as well. The enhancement of either natural or chemical processes by DC electric field as a very promising
method to accelerate and increase the efficiency of the remedial process along with
reducing the cost is tackled as well. (ii) Oxidative technologies for water treatment:
this part includes a basic overview of various innovative oxidation technologies
applicable to water treatment with a strong focus on technologies based on iron
compounds in high-valent states (co-called ferrates IV, V, and VI), including the
properties of ferrates, their synthesis and applicability. Similarly, radical reactions
and photooxidations are covered and discussed regarding their applicability to
remediation techniques. (iii) Biotechnologies for water treatment: this part provides
the overview of modern and advanced methods based on the application of microorganisms and their compartments, especially the combination of microbes or
enzymes with nanotechnology applications. A special attention is also paid to recent
findings concerning bioelectrical processes participating in the remediation processes. The presented results of nano-bio and bio-nano approaches demonstrate
the feasibility and high efficiency of the combined methods. (iv) Biotechnologies
for soil treatment: this part includes the overview of ex situ bioremediation treatment
of contaminated soil. New details about mycoremediation technology using
ligninolytic fungi for biodegradation of soil and groundwater contaminated with
persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are discussed. The use of a composting technology for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) removal from contaminated
soil is outlined with respect to its practical application. The last chapter of this part is
dedicated to the techniques of bioremediation, including enzymes, biosurfactants, or
genetically modified organisms use in real applications. (v) Ecotoxicology of both
environmental pollutants and nanomaterials used for remediation: this part comprises theoretical support regarding novel findings on ecotoxicity of pollutants and
nanomaterials. The importance of this part is underpinned by the fact that there is
still lack of a suitable, comprehensive, and standardized set of tests for ecotoxicological evaluation of the novel nanomaterials; further research in this direction is
needed.
Each part (i–iv) is organized as follows: it contains chapters focused on general
description of the particular technologies followed by several field studies, 10 altogether, demonstrating the applicability of the particular technology. Moreover, the
book has a concluding chapter dealing with future prospects for techniques treating
contaminants of emerging concern in water and soils/sediments. Conclusions and
suggestions made not only within this chapter but also throughout the whole book
could be of interest to scientists and, primarily, practitioners who deal with water
quality. Rising population is a phenomenon that entails different issues ranging from
sustainable sources of clean water to cultivating soil for agricultural activities and
feeding animals. The last part of the book contains a collection of five technical
chapters (appendices) providing technical details on actions taken in relation with a
pilot/full-scale application of key nano-/biotechnologies. Each chapter focuses on
one specific aspect of the implementation of the selected technology/material such as
nanoscale zero-valent iron injection into groundwater, field-scale contaminant
viii
Preface
Other chemical reductants, such as dithionate, are discussed as well. The enhancement of either natural or chemical processes by DC electric field as a very promising
method to accelerate and increase the efficiency of the remedial process along with
reducing the cost is tackled as well. (ii) Oxidative technologies for water treatment:
this part includes a basic overview of various innovative oxidation technologies
applicable to water treatment with a strong focus on technologies based on iron
compounds in high-valent states (co-called ferrates IV, V, and VI), including the
properties of ferrates, their synthesis and applicability. Similarly, radical reactions
and photooxidations are covered and discussed regarding their applicability to
remediation techniques. (iii) Biotechnologies for water treatment: this part provides
the overview of modern and advanced methods based on the application of microorganisms and their compartments, especially the combination of microbes or
enzymes with nanotechnology applications. A special attention is also paid to recent
findings concerning bioelectrical processes participating in the remediation processes. The presented results of nano-bio and bio-nano approaches demonstrate
the feasibility and high efficiency of the combined methods. (iv) Biotechnologies
for soil treatment: this part includes the overview of ex situ bioremediation treatment
of contaminated soil. New details about mycoremediation technology using
ligninolytic fungi for biodegradation of soil and groundwater contaminated with
persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are discussed. The use of a composting technology for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) removal from contaminated
soil is outlined with respect to its practical application. The last chapter of this part is
dedicated to the techniques of bioremediation, including enzymes, biosurfactants, or
genetically modified organisms use in real applications. (v) Ecotoxicology of both
environmental pollutants and nanomaterials used for remediation: this part comprises theoretical support regarding novel findings on ecotoxicity of pollutants and
nanomaterials. The importance of this part is underpinned by the fact that there is
still lack of a suitable, comprehensive, and standardized set of tests for ecotoxicological evaluation of the novel nanomaterials; further research in this direction is
needed.
Each part (i–iv) is organized as follows: it contains chapters focused on general
description of the particular technologies followed by several field studies, 10 altogether, demonstrating the applicability of the particular technology. Moreover, the
book has a concluding chapter dealing with future prospects for techniques treating
contaminants of emerging concern in water and soils/sediments. Conclusions and
suggestions made not only within this chapter but also throughout the whole book
could be of interest to scientists and, primarily, practitioners who deal with water
quality. Rising population is a phenomenon that entails different issues ranging from
sustainable sources of clean water to cultivating soil for agricultural activities and
feeding animals. The last part of the book contains a collection of five technical
chapters (appendices) providing technical details on actions taken in relation with a
pilot/full-scale application of key nano-/biotechnologies. Each chapter focuses on
one specific aspect of the implementation of the selected technology/material such as
nanoscale zero-valent iron injection into groundwater, field-scale contaminant
viii
Preface