Leveraging Microbes for Waste Management

Waste management is one of the crucial factors for ensuring a safe world tomorrow. However, employing treatment technologies like physico-chemical-based methods possesses its own disadvantages and does not offer much sustainable option. Microbes, the tiniest of creatures, hold specially tailored properties that can play a vital role in combating several environmental problems in a sustainable manner. Microbial-based treatment technologies are often seen as a promising approach to treat wastewater generated from domestic sewage, industrial effluents, and other sources. The by-products of wastewater subjected to microbe-assisted treatment, including the sludge, can be converted into an effective manure or biogas through tailored processes involving microbial interaction. Besides, the microbes have an excellent potential to treat the solid wastes and valorize it into useful products, thereby closing the loop. Apart from treatment processes, several advancements are gaining around in the field of microbial-based sensors for detecting the pollutants. In this context, the present chapter gives comprehensive insights into microbial-based treatment technologies for wastewater treatment, solid waste treatment in both research, and real field applications. Additionally, the role of microbes in detecting pollutants is also discussed. This chapter elucidates how microbial weapons can be employed for future clean-up wars for a sustainable world.