Anju Agrawal

Biomonitoring of water quality is very much essential for assessing the overall health of water bodies and safe supply of drinking water. The chemical nature of toxicant is highly dynamic in environment with time and space whereas biological system can integrate all environmental variables over a large period of time in terms of effect that can be easily measured and quantified. In view of the above, there is a pressing need to determine the water quality of natural resources as well as drinking water based on the standard protocols and guidelines from regulatory agencies. It is clear that the synthetic chemicals are essential for our society to maintain the health and well being of the people. However, there has been a range of detrimental effects on human health and natural environment. In general, we need to improve our management of waste chemicals discharged into the air, water and soil environments. New techniques are needed to predict adverse effects before they occur and for the treatment of wastes. In addition, a range of social, political and economic factors will be needed to be taken into account in order to achieve success.

Biomonitoring of water quality is very much essential for assessing the overall health of water bodies and safe supply of drinking water. The chemical nature of toxicant is highly dynamic in environment with time and space whereas biological system can integrate all environmental variables over a large period of time in terms of effect that can be easily measured and quantified. In view of the above, there is a pressing need to determine the water quality of natural resources as well as drinking water based on the standard protocols and guidelines from regulatory agencies. It is clear that the synthetic chemicals are essential for our society to maintain the health and well being of the people. However, there has been a range of detrimental effects on human health and natural environment. In general, we need to improve our management of waste chemicals discharged into the air, water and soil environments. New techniques are needed to predict adverse effects before they occur and for the treatment of wastes. In addition, a range of social, political and economic factors will be needed to be taken into account in order to achieve success.

The revolution in technology has led to the emergence of biotechnology which is one of the most rapidly moving branches of science and holds a lot of promises and surprises for the present and future. Spread over fourteen chapters, the book starts with ageing followed by application of RNAi and then moves to transcription regulation of plant genes. The book focuses upon the latest research and developments in diverse areas like vaccines, chemistry-biology interphase, application of bioinformatics tools, enzyme technology and mycoremediation, philosophical implication of biotechnology and genetic diversity in Indian populations.

Biotechnology has emerged as an area of activity having tremendous impact on virtually all domains of human welfare and holds a lot of promises and surprises in some of the techniques for the present and future. Spread over fourteen chapters, the book gives an overview of biotechnological means to convert hazardous wastes into useful products, then moves to an important area of biotechnology i.e. proteomics. It touches upon the latest research and developments in diverse areas like bio-informatics, DNA bio-sensors, DNA fingerprinting, mushroom biotechnology, stem cells, bioethics, in vivo induced antigen technology, immobilisation technology, production of 7- aminocephalosporanic acid, therapeutic application of thymic peptides and cyanobacteria as a source of valuable products.