Table of Contents
PART I FOUNDATIONS OF MICROBIAL-MATERIAL INTERFACES1. Microbial-Material Interfaces: Concepts and Scope
2. Microbial Ecology at Material Surfaces
3. Material Properties Governing Microbial Interactions
PART II DEGRADATION, TRANSFORMATION, AND RISK
4. Microbial Corrosion and Biodeterioration of Materials
5. Biofilm-Mediated Transformation of Contaminants at Material Interfaces
6. Antimicrobial Resistance at Material Interfaces
PART III FUNCTIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL MATERIALS
7. Bio-Interactive Materials for Water Treatment and Sanitation
8. Reactive Environmental Materials in Soil and Sediment Systems
9. Microbial-Material Interactions in Food-Contact and Packaging Systems
PART IV HEALTH, SUSTAINABILITY, AND EMERGING PRESSURES
10. Health Implications of Microbial-Material Interactions
11. Waste-Derived Materials in the Circular Economy
12. Climate Change and Environmental Stressors at Microbial-Material Interfaces
PART V INTEGRATION, DESIGN, AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS
13. Designing Next-Generation Bio-Interactive Materials
Authors
Matthew Chidozie Ogwu Environmental Scientist and Assistant Professor of Sustainable Development, Appalachian State University, USA.Dr. Matthew Chidozie Ogwu is an environmental scientist and Assistant Professor of Sustainable Development at Appalachian State University, USA. He holds a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from Seoul National University, with research training spanning microbial ecology, environmental toxicology, biodiversity conservation, and food-environment interactions. His scholarship focuses on contaminant pathways in food systems, soil and water quality,
exposure assessment, and human health risks, with particular emphasis on trace metals, agro-food contamination, and sustainability in the Global South. He has led and collaborated on funded research projects across North America, Africa, Europe, and Asia, integrating scientific evidence with regulatory and policy perspectives. His interdisciplinary work advances resilient, safe, and sustainable food systems through applied research, risk assessment, and evidence-based mitigation strategies. Shrikaant Kulkarni Research Professor, Sanjivani University, Kopargaon, India.Dr. Shrikaant Kulkarni works as a Research Professor at Sanjivani University, Kopargaon, India, and as an Adjunct Professor at the Faculty of Business, Victorian Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Australia, Adjunct Professor, Lincoln University College, Malaysia, and Adjunct Professor at Chitkara University, Punjab, India. He has guided numerous major and minor projects in areas such as engineering chemistry, green chemistry, nanotechnology, analytical chemistry, catalysis, chemical engineering materials, industrial organization, management and economics, advanced AI, and educational technology. He has been working as a research supervisor to PhD students in interdisciplinary subject areas at different Universities. Dr Kulkarni holds MSc, MPhil, and PhD in Chemistry, as well as master's degrees in economics, business management, and political science. Two of his Patents have been published, and two more are pending grant. He was invited by UNESCO for a talk on "Green Chemistry Education for Sustainable Development" at the International Conference on Green Chemistry, Bangkok.
