The fourth International Symposium of the International Society for Environmental Biotechnology was held on the campus of Queen's University, Belfast, Northern Ireland, on June 20-25, 1998, with an attendance of several hundred people. This meeting included technical presentations of state-of-the-art research which were integrated with tutorials and workshops by practising technologists in the broad field of environmental biotechnology. The meeting was designed to be, in every respect, truly global. For example, presentations were heard from technical workers in Southeast Asia, Iran, China, many countries in Europe, India, and the United States. By having these selected presenters, as well as experienced tutors with focused workshops, all participants benefited from this interactive symposium, and from an informal exchange of ideas, discussions of technical problems, and exploration of new applications. Environmental biotechnology is an emerging field of scientific and technological investigations that is truly global. Furthermore, popular recognition is high for the environmental problems being faced and solved by biotechnology methods. The papers in this book cover the following topics: (i) Metals: Mine Drainage, Removal, Toxicity; (ii) Waste Treatment/Monitoring; (iii) Integrated Systems; (iv) Bioremediation: In situ/Reactors/Basic Studies; (v) Water Quality; (vi) Biodegradation; (vii) Local/National/International Issues.