Marine Bioprospecting for Sustainable Blue-bioeconomy

Book excerpt: This volume comprehensively discusses marine bioprospecting and its applications in the marine bioeconomy, specifically in clean energy generation, and in biomedical, industrial and agricultural sectors. The advent of modern technology, particularly advancements in deep-sea exploration and biotechnology, has enabled scientists to delve deeper into the ocean's depths and discover a treasure trove of unique organisms and compounds. This demonstrates that the rich history of human interactions with the oceans is firmly ingrained in marine bioprospecting. The blue-economy, which is a more accurate name for the systematic search for valuable substances and organisms in the water, has gained popularity in recent years as a possible route for sustainable economic development. One of the key driving factors behind marine bioprospecting is the growing realization that marine organisms possess unique biochemical compounds with the potential to revolutionize various industries. These compounds include novel enzymes, antimicrobial agents, bioactive molecules, and even potential pharmaceuticals. Readers will learn about the applications of these discoveries in bioremediation, wastewater treatment, and biofuel production, as well as the identification of natural substitutes for things that are detrimental to the environment, which include biodegradable plastics derived from marine microorganisms. The primary audience for the book will be governmental and international organizations, professionals, and economists, while the secondary audience will be professors and researchers in the fields of Chemistry, Biotechnology, Environmental Microbiology, and general Ocean Sciences.