Dear Readers,

The clean-up of anthropogenic and xenobiotic contaminants from the environment is one of the problems currently in focus globally. It is ironic and tragic that we continue to witness the horrendous environmental fallout of the Bhopal Gas tragedy that happened 25 years ago!

We all agree that bio-degradation is a natural process. An ecosystem can be defined by its threshold assimilative capacity for xenobiotic chemicals. Appropriate bio-stimulation can convert the xenobiotic chemical into a substrate for assimilation by microorganisms, thereby creating an opportunity for restoration of the habitat. Recent advancements in technology, particularly metagenomics, bring new awareness to research on microbial diversity and technical innovation that facilitates study of physiology and ecology of environmental microorganisms. Thus microbial communities are being used for environmental clean-up and for a wealth of other services to society.

This issue also includes articles on Biolfouling, a costly problem encountered in a wide spectrum of technical systems ranging from shipping industry to food industries. Our regular features included are research reports, online reports, abstracts, e-resources and events on microorganisms.

It gives us great pleasure to share our views with you. We sincerely look forward to your suggestions and feedbacks. Please do mail us at  www.envismadrasuniv.org/send_feedback.php.

Prof. N. Munuswamy

For further details, visit our website www.envismadrasuniv.org

World Environmental Day - 05 JUN 2010

SCIENTIFIC ARTICLES

Marine Actinomycetes - potential but less tapped resource for antifouling compounds too!

V. Gopikrishnan, M. Radhakrishnan and  R.Balagurunathan                                                                         

RESEARCH NOTE

Effect of low - level laser irradiation on rat gut microflora

A. A. Agababova and H. A. Movsesyan

RESEARCH REPORTS

Soil microbes produce less atmospheric CO2 than expected with climate warming        

Bacterial genes that improve plant growth by 40% identified

Tiny marine microbes exert influence on Global climate: Microorganisms display a behavior characteristic of larger animals

ONLINE REPORTS ON MICROORGANISMS

Microbial answer to plastic pollution            

Microorganisms in toxic groundwater fine - tuned to survive

NEWS

Martian life quest stymied by Earth microbes

Abstracts of Recent Publications

Important E-resources on Microorganisms

Events

Tit Bits

Extension Activities

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