Water Volumes

Wastewater Microbiology, Third Edition
Gabriel Bitton (2005). John Wiley & Sons Inc., 111 River St., Hoboken, N.J. 07030, 768 pp., $99.95, hardcover, ISBN 0-471-65071-4.

This book covers the microbiological principles and role of microorganisms in water and wastewater treatment. It begins with the fundamentals of microbiology, followed by a discussion of public health issues and challenges. The core of the book addresses the microbiology of wastewater and drinking water treatments. The author has thoroughly examined and discussed the microbiological principles and applications as related to wastewater and drinking water treatments. The application of biotechnology in wastewater treatment is described in great detail. The remainder of the book covers toxicity testing in wastewater treatment plants and microbiological and public health aspects of wastewater effluents and biosolids disposal and reuse.

This edition touches on some important current topics. Molecular and other state-of-art detection techniques have been added. A new chapter is included on bioterrorism and drinking water safety. The author provides the latest developments in biofilm microbial ecology and its impact on drinking water quality. The discussion of toxicity testing and studies of endocrine disruptors has been expanded and updated.

The book is easy to read, and its chapters are organized and formatted clearly. The illustrations, problem sets, and list of Internet resources make it a great reference book.

It will be a valuable tool for researchers, civil and environmental engineers, public health officials, and administrators. It also could serve as a college textbook for microbiological principles and application courses.

Rasheed Ahmad is a consulting engineer in Alpharetta, Ga.


©2007 Water Environment Federation. All rights reserved.