Book excerpt: This state-of-the-art volume represents the first comprehensively written book which focuses on the new field of biosorption. This fascinating work conveys essential fundamental information and outlines the perspectives of biosorption. It summarizes the metal-sorbing properties of nonliving bacterial, fungal, and algal biomass, plus highlights relevant metal-binding mechanisms. This volume also discusses the aspects of obtaining and processing microbial biomass and metal-chelating chemicals into industrially applicable biosorbent products. Microbiologists, chemists, and engineers with an interest in new technological and scientific horizons will find this reference indispensable.