Münir Öztürk & Muhammad Ashraf 
Phytoremediation for Green Energy 

Human demand for energy has grown multi-folds in recent years. This is the result of rapidly increasing human population, which, in turn, has resulted in increased organic (petroleum) and inorganic pollution on the biosphere. Due to this, we are now facing a number of challenges to sustain life on earth. For example, the increased organic and inorganic pollution in our environment is leading to loss of biodiversity, degradation of environment and thus ultimately causing food insecurity. In this situation, it is imperative to keep updated ourselves with advances on the effects of pollutants, tolerance mechanisms and the potential of different plants and microbes in removing these pollutants from the environment. For this purpose, we invited a number of scientists worldwide to review the current scenario of the problems, current development, and future prospects of the challenges and their solutions in an International Conference on ‘‘Plants and Environmental Pollution’’ held in KAYSERI, TURKEY from 6-11 July 2009. The output of this conference has been summarized in the form of this book.

Table of Content

Preface.- 1. Bio-Fuels: A Blessing in Disguise; O. Surriya et al.- 2. Energy, environment and the future of mankind; Y.T. Lee.- 3. Phyto-cover phyto-treatment technologies for enhancing environmental remediation at aluminium smelting site in India; M.N.V. Prasad.- 4. Chromium and nickel phytotoxicity; A. Fargašová, K. Mičieta.- 5. Physio-anatomical responses of plants to heavy metals; R. Batool et al.- 6. Integration of different bioindication methods (for chemical elements) – The multi-markered-bioindication-concept (MMBC); B. Markert et al.- 7. Interaction between plants and biosurfactant producing micro-organisms in petroleum contaminated Absheron soils; E. Akhundova, Y. Atakishiyeva.- 8. Phytoremediation of crude oil-contaminated soil by Medicago sativa (alfalfa) and the effect of oil on its growth; S. Minoui et al.- 9. Evaluation of Amaranthus retroflexus L. and its root associated fungi for bioremediation of petroleum polluted soils; F. Mohsenzadeh, A. Chehregam. 10. Reciprocal effects of oil-contaminated soil and Festuca arundinacea (Tall Fescue); D. Minai-Tehrani et al.- 11. Development of a new program to reduce total petroleum hydrocarbons; Time-analysis in heavy petroleum-contaminated soils by using GC-FID; R. Shirdam et al.- 12. Fundamentals of hydrogen production via biotechnology (Bio-H2); N. Azbar.- 13. The examination of effects of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) on ecological system; N.Çağlarirmak et al.- 14. Evaluation of Senecio glaucus L. and its root-associated fungi for bioremediation of crude oil polluted soils; F. Mmohsenzadeh, A. Chehregani Rad.- 15. Study of root and shoot peroxidase activation in Festuca arundinacea in the light oil-contaminated soil; Z. Ghafari et al.- Index.