Bioremediation in Environmental Cleanup

Bioremediation is the process of removing or utilizing the pollutants from a particularly polluted area (like soil, municipal water tanks or sewage water, oil spills in water, or land) with the help of microorganisms like bacteria, fungi and also plants. It is a type of biotechnical waste management method which uses no harmful chemicals and, in order, protects the Earth and promotes a sustainable environment. 

Vedantu has prepared a note on Bioremediation by keeping environmental pollution in mind. Pollution has grown rapidly in the past years due to rising anthropogenic activities. Our expert's team showcases bioremediation as an appealing and good technique for cleaning and removing toxic material from the contaminated environment.

Vedantu's team has explained superbly how bioremediation is highly useful in eradicating, detoxifying, degrading, or immobilizing varied physical dangerous material or other chemical wastage from our surroundings using the actions of the microorganisms. In the next few paragraphs, it would be interesting for you to know how beautifully this entire process works for removing toxic elements from the atmosphere.

Process of Bioremediation 

The microorganisms used in the Bioremediation process degrade the pollutants and convert them into a non-toxic substance or form. The process begins when microorganisms like bacteria, fungi, and small plants, which are used to extract the pollutants, come in contact with the contaminants like oil, etc. The microbes use the contaminants as food. To start the process of bioremediation, the microorganisms need a suitable environment to thrive and do their job. Ideal environment conditions consist of a balanced temperature, availability of moisture, proper levels of surface pH. After the microorganisms are comfortable in their surroundings, they use the contaminants as a source of food. To break down the food consumed, the microbes secrete enzymes, which degrades the contaminants into nutrients. The result of the process ends up with byproducts, which are water, carbon dioxide, and non-toxic acids. 

The toxic elements do not singly affect the environment but it causes climate change in several ways. First of all, it traps heat, which contributes to the birth of several respiratory diseases due to air pollution and smog. Apart from this, disruptions in the food supply, extreme weather conditions, and increasing wildfires are the issues that are primarily happening due to greenhouse gases.

Types of Bioremediation

Microbial Remediation 

This type of bioremediation process is done with the help of microorganisms which convert the organic contaminants or metallic contaminants into more chemically inactive forms. The microorganisms break down the compounds and metabolize them. Aerobic bacteria need an oxygen source, and the byproducts at the end of the process are typically water, salts, and carbon dioxide. Anaerobic processes of bioremediation are carried out in the absence of oxygen, and the byproducts of this process are typical, i.e., methane gas, sulfides, hydrogen gas, elemental sulfur.

Phytoremediation

Phytoremediation is another type of bioremediation that helps eliminate contaminants with the help of plants by repairing and regenerating the soil and ground and surface water. The plants used in the process disseminate the toxic material from the soil and hold on to them within their plant tissues and constrain them until they are broken down at the roots. The plants work by pulling up the contaminants with their roots, which accumulates in the stems. Plants take up the dangerous chemicals from the soil and release them into the air through transpiration and evaporation by the air. A few pollutants which the plants can clean up are metals, pesticides, chlorinated solvents, polychlorinated biphenyls, and petroleum hydrocarbons. Some plants which can be used for phytoremediation are Indian Mustard, Indian Grass, Brown mustard, Sunflower plants, Barley Grass, Pumpkin, Poplar trees, Pine trees, and White Willows. These have rejuvenating and revitalizing characteristics which help the process.

Mycoremediation

Fungi are known as nature's decomposers. They break down most of the Earth's plant and hard woody material, resulting in the regeneration of the soil. Fungi use their metabolic enzymes to decompose chemicals like metals and varied types of pesticides. Fungi acts as a catalyst for microorganisms and plants by breaking down the larger hydrocarbon chains into smaller pieces, thereby making their process easy. The fungi suck up the chemicals by breaking them down with the help of enzymes and then store the nutrients in the fleshy parts, which are known as mushrooms. 

Bioremediation of Wastewater 

The bioremediation of wastewater is an important part of bioremediation. The sewage water can be treated by the processes of bioaugmentation and intrinsic bioremediation. The process is done with the help of microorganisms, which can reach any parts of the contaminated places like municipal water tanks. The aerobic microbes are used in these processes, and the water is aerated to provide oxygen for the bacteria to thrive and grow. The bacteria consume the organic contaminants and mould the less soluble parts. The byproduct of this process is nitrogen gas, which is later released into the atmosphere.

It is up to the situation or the availability of the resources that which one fits well. All of them have their unique attributes. Along with these, people have also explored a few more methods such as incineration, landfill burial, treatment with the use of chemicals, managing solid waste, managing nuclear waste, and more. 

If we talk about the pillars of bioremediation, then fungi and bacteria top the chart. Bacteria are said to be the most important microbes for executing this entire process as these help in breaking the waste material into organic and nutritional matters. Without this, it is considered that bioremediation will not be sufficient to kill pollutants completely. Similarly, bacteria can consume pollutants such as chlorinated pesticides.