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BIOREMEDIATION

                                                        

Bioremediation is a branch of biotechnology that employs the use of living organisms, like microbes and bacteria, in the removal of contaminants, pollutants, and toxins from soil, water, and other environments. Bioremediation may be used to clean up contaminated groundwater or environmental problems, such as oil spills. Bioremediation relies on stimulating the growth of certain microbes that utilize contaminants like oil, solvents, and pesticides for food and energy sources. These microbes convert contaminants into small amounts of water, as well as harmless gases like carbon dioxide.

                                                

Bioremediation requires a combination of the right temperature, nutrients, and foods. The absence of these elements may prolong the cleanup of contaminants. Conditions unfavorable for bioremediation may be improved by adding “amendments” to the environment, such as molasses, vegetable oil, or simple air. These amendments optimize conditions for microbes to flourish, thereby accelerating the completion of the bioremediation process. The bioremediation process may take several months to several years to complete, depending on variables such as the size of the contaminated area, the concentration of contaminants, temperature, and soil density. 

                                                       

TYPES OF BIOREMEDIATION                                                                                   

Bioremediation techniques can be classified as                                                                                     

(i) in situ techniques, which treat polluted sites directly. The following are the various in-situ techniques:                                                                                                                                              1.Bioventing                                                                                                                                          2.Biostimulation                                                                                                                                        3.Bioattenuation                                                                                                                                      4.Bioparging                                                                                                                                    

(ii) ex-situ techniques which are applied to excavated materials. The following are the various ex-situ techniques:                                                                                                                                                1.Biopiles                                                                                                                                                2.Windrows                                                                                                                                              

3. Landfarming 

GENETIC ENGINEERING IN BIOREMEDIATION                                                                        

The use of genetic engineering to create organisms specifically designed for bioremediation is under preliminary research. Two categories of genes can be inserted in the organism: degradative genes, which encode proteins required for the degradation of pollutants, and reporter genes, which encode proteins able to monitor pollution levels. Numerous members of Pseudomonas have been modified with the lux gene for the detection of the polyaromatic hydrocarbon naphthalene. A field test for the release of the modified organism has been successful on a moderately large scale.

ADVANTAGES OF BIOREMEDIATION                                                                                              

Bioremediation offers numerous advantages over other cleanup methods. By relying solely on natural processes, it minimizes damage to ecosystems. It does not disrupt nearby communities as much as other cleanup methodologies. It creates relatively few harmful byproducts (mainly because contaminants and pollutants are converted into water and harmless gases like carbon dioxide). Bioremediation is cheaper than most cleanup methods because it does not require substantial equipment or labor.

LIMITATIONS OF BIOREMEDIATION                                                                                              

Heavy metals and radionuclides are elements that cannot be biodegraded but can be bio-transformed to less mobile forms. In some cases, microbes do not fully mineralize the pollutant, potentially producing a more toxic compound. For example, under anaerobic conditions, the reductive dehalogenation of TCE may produce dichloroethylene (DCE) and vinyl chloride (VC), which are suspected or known carcinogens. In many cases, bioremediation takes more time than other alternatives such as landfilling and incineration. Another example is bioventing, which is inexpensive to bioremediate contaminated sites, however, this process is extensive and can take a few years to decontaminate a site. The compound acrylonitrile is commonly produced in industrial settings but adversely contaminates soils. Microorganisms containing nitrile hydratases (NHase) degraded harmful acrylonitrile compounds into non-polluting substances. Since the experience with harmful contaminants is limited, laboratory practices are required to evaluate effectiveness, treatment designs, and estimate treatment times. Bioremediation processes may take several months to several years depending on the size of the contaminated area.