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Bioremediation

1970

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Bioremediation is a process that uses microorganisms, fungi, green plants, or their enzymes to return a contaminated environment to its original condition. It can be employed to attack specific soil contaminants, such as chlorinated pesticides, or to treat a wider range of pollutants. Bioremediation can occur naturally (natural attenuation) or be spurred on by adding fertilizers (biostimulation) or specific microorganisms (bioaugmentation).

Bioremediation leverages biological processes to manage and neutralize contaminants in soil, water, and sediments. The core principle is that certain microorganisms can use contaminants as a food source, metabolizing them into less harmful or non-toxic substances like carbon dioxide and water. This process can be categorized as either in-situ or ex-situ. In-situ bioremediation treats the contaminated material in place, which is less disruptive and often more cost-effective. Ex-situ bioremediation involves excavating the contaminated soil or pumping the groundwater to be treated elsewhere, allowing for more controlled conditions but at a higher cost.

Key strategies to enhance bioremediation include biostimulation and bioaugmentation. Biostimulation involves modifying the environment to stimulate existing bacteria capable of bioremediation. This is often done by adding nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus or an electron acceptor such as oxygen. Bioaugmentation involves introducing specific, often non-native, microorganisms to the site that are known to degrade the target contaminant. This is useful when the indigenous microbial population is insufficient or lacks the necessary metabolic capabilities. The effectiveness of bioremediation depends heavily on factors like contaminant type and concentration, temperature, pH, and the presence of oxygen and nutrients.

Biodegradable Plastics, Bioengineering, Bioremediation, Ecology, Environmental Engineering, Phytoremediation, Pollution, Soil Remediation, Waste Reduction

UNESCO Nomenclature: 2505

– Ecology

Type

Biological Process

Disruption

Substantial

Usage

Widespread Use

Precursors

discovery of microorganisms by antonie van leeuwenhoek
louis pasteur’s work on fermentation and microbial metabolism
understanding of the carbon and nitrogen cycles in ecosystems
early use of landfarming for oil waste disposal

Applications

oil spill cleanup
treatment of contaminated groundwater
degradation of industrial solvents in soil
wastewater treatment plants
cleanup of sites contaminated with chlorinated pesticides

Patents:

Potential Innovations Ideas

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Related to: bioremediation, microorganisms, contamination, pollution, environmental cleanup, biostimulation, bioaugmentation, in-situ, ex-situ, biodegradation.

Historical Context

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectrometer in an analytical chemistry laboratory.

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is a technique that exploits the magnetic properties of certain atomic nuclei. It places a sample in a strong, constant magnetic field and probes it with radio waves. The nuclei absorb and re-emit electromagnetic radiation at a specific resonance frequency, which depends on the intramolecular magnetic field, revealing detailed information about the structure, dynamics, and chemical environment of molecules.

Laboratory analysis of volatile organic compounds in atmospheric chemistry.

VOC in Tropospheric Ozone Formation

VOCs are essential precursors for the formation of tropospheric (ground-level) ozone, a primary component of photochemical smog. In the presence of sunlight (\(h\nu\)) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), VOCs are oxidized by hydroxyl radicals (\(\bullet OH\)). This process generates peroxy radicals (\(RO_2\bullet\)) that convert nitric oxide (NO) to nitrogen dioxide (\(NO_2\)), which then photolyzes to produce the oxygen atoms needed for ozone (\(O_3\)) formation.

Earth’s Magnetosphere

The magnetosphere is the region of space surrounding Earth where the planet's magnetic field, rather than the solar wind's magnetic field, is dominant. It is formed by the interaction of the solar wind with Earth's intrinsic magnetic field. This interaction creates a bow shock and deflects most of the charged particles from the Sun, protecting the atmosphere from erosion.

Bioremediation

Counter-illumination Camouflage

Many mid-ocean (mesopelagic) animals use bioluminescence for camouflage through a strategy called counter-illumination: they possess light-producing organs (photophores) on their undersides that generate light matching the intensity and color of the downwelling sunlight or moonlight. This effectively eliminates their silhouette when viewed from below, hiding them from predators hunting from the depths.

Diverse permaculture garden with food plants, trees, and integrated animal systems.

Permaculture Systems

An approach to land management and philosophy that adopts arrangements observed in flourishing natural ecosystems. It includes a set of design principles derived from systems thinking, and it aims to create sustainable human settlements and agricultural systems by modeling them on natural patterns. Core tenets include care for the Earth, care for people, and fair share (returning surplus).

Soil vapor extraction site with extraction wells and monitoring equipment for VOC remediation.

Soil Vapor Extraction (SVE)

Soil Vapor Extraction (SVE) is an in-situ physical remediation technology used for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and some semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) in unsaturated soil (the vadose zone). The process involves applying a vacuum to the soil through extraction wells, which creates a pressure gradient that induces gas-phase contaminants to move through the soil and be collected for treatment.

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Laboratory analysis of carbonaceous and nitrogenous biochemical oxygen demand in wastewater treatment.

Carbonaceous and Nitrogenous Biochemical Oxygen Demand (cBOD and nBOD)

Total Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) is the sum of two main processes: Carbonaceous BOD (cBOD) and Nitrogenous BOD (nBOD). cBOD is the oxygen consumed by microorganisms to oxidize organic carbon compounds. nBOD is the oxygen used in the later-stage oxidation of nitrogenous compounds, primarily ammonia (nitrification), by specific autotrophic bacteria. Distinguishing between them is important for advanced wastewater treatment.

Photochemical Smog

Photochemical smog is formed through a complex series of reactions involving sunlight, nitrogen oxides (NOx), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The process is initiated when sunlight splits nitrogen dioxide (\(NO_2\)) into nitric oxide (NO) and an oxygen atom (O). This free oxygen atom then combines with molecular oxygen (\(O_2\)) to form ground-level ozone (\(O_3\)), a primary component of smog.

Geological site of the Siberian Traps with ancient marine fossils, relevant to Palaeontology.

The Permian-Triassic Extinction Event

Known as "The Great Dying," the Permian–Triassic (P-T) extinction event, occurring about 252 million years ago, was Earth's most severe extinction. It eliminated over 95% of marine species and 70% of terrestrial vertebrate species. The leading cause is believed to be massive volcanic eruptions from the Siberian Traps, which triggered catastrophic climate change, ocean anoxia, and acidification.

Satellite in low Earth orbit monitoring radiation in the South Atlantic Anomaly region.

South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA)

The South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA) is a large area over the South Atlantic and South America where the Earth's inner Van Allen radiation belt comes closest to the planet's surface. In this region, the magnetic field intensity is significantly weaker, about one-third of the global average. This weakness allows charged particles to penetrate to lower altitudes.

Geochemists analyzing banded iron formations in a laboratory setting.

The Great Oxygenation Event (GOE)

The Great Oxygenation Event (GOE), occurring around 2.4 billion years ago, was a period when Earth's atmosphere and shallow oceans first experienced a significant rise in oxygen concentration. This was caused by the evolution of cyanobacteria, which produced oxygen as a byproduct of photosynthesis. This change triggered a mass extinction of anaerobic organisms, for whom oxygen was toxic.

GPS receiver in surveying context showing satellite signals and DOP values.

GPS Dilution of Precision (DOP)

The Dilution of Precision (DOP) is a metric that quantifies the effect of satellite geometry on GPS accuracy. A lower DOP value indicates better accuracy. When satellites are widely spaced in the sky, the geometry is strong, and DOP is low. When satellites are clustered together, the geometry is weak, DOP is high, and small errors in pseudorange measurements are magnified into large position errors.

Phytoremediation

Phytoremediation is a bioremediation process that uses various types of plants to remove, transfer, stabilize, or destroy contaminants in soil and groundwater. This low-cost, solar energy-driven technique is effective for cleaning up sites with low to moderate levels of contamination. Different mechanisms are involved, including phytoextraction (uptake into harvestable plant tissues), phytodegradation (breakdown of contaminants), and phytostabilization (reducing mobility).

Laboratory analysis of biogenic volatile organic compounds in atmospheric chemistry.

Biogenic Volatile Organic Compounds (BVOCs)

Biogenic Volatile Organic Compounds (BVOCs) are VOCs produced and emitted by living organisms, predominantly plants. Isoprene (\(C_5H_8\)) and terpenes are the most abundant BVOCs. While natural, their emissions are vast, exceeding anthropogenic VOCs globally. They play critical roles in plant defense, signaling, and are major precursors for atmospheric ozone and secondary organic aerosols, influencing air quality and climate.

(if date is unknown or not relevant, e.g. "fluid mechanics", a rounded estimation of its notable emergence is provided)