Bioremediation has many applications — cleaning up oil spills, decontaminating soil or water supplies, crime scene or blood cleanup, and so much more. Here we’ll go over what bioremediation is, why it’s used, as well as the various types.

 

What Is Bioremediation?

Bioremediation is an all-encompassing term that refers to using biological organisms to break down pollutants and toxic compounds in order to make them nontoxic or less toxic. Bioremediation is actually a naturally occurring phenomenon; composting, for example, is a more relatable, everyday type of bioremediation. However, naturally-occurring decomposition and bioremediation happens quite slowly. Bioremediation as an industry essentially aims to expedite these natural processes for quick and speedy cleanup of toxic chemicals.

 

Main Types of Bioremediation

Bioremediation comes in many shapes and forms, including:

 

  • Intrinsic bioremediation: A way of using biological organisms to convert harmful chemicals into inert ones by using microorganisms that are native to the area. An example of this would be cleaning toxins out of ground water by utilizing microbes found in the nearby environment.
  • Bioaugmentation: This process is normally used to clean contamination within soil by introducing new bacteria to the environment in order to expedite the degradation of contaminants.
  • Biostimulation: When nutrients are added to microbes to stimulate their growth in order to facilitate a faster remediation process.

 

The Advantages of Using Bioremediation

    • It’s natural: As mentioned previously, bioremediation uses naturally-occurring processes and puts them into overdrive, so there is minimal harm to the environment when compared to other chemical cleanup methods. 
    • Bioremediation is isolated: Additionally, many bioremediation methods are utilized underground in order to decontaminate groundwater and soil, meaning above-ground ecosystems will be left intact. 
    • Little to no harmful byproducts: Bioremediation converts pollutants into harmless carbon dioxide or water, meaning it leaves little to no byproducts that may be associated with other methods.
  • Cost-effective: Bioremediation doesn’t require very much equipment or labor, making it cost-effective in addition to being natural and safe.

 

Get In Touch For Fast and Easy Bioremediation Today

Biohazard remediation is needed in situations including crime and trauma scenes, unattended death, industrial accidents, or anywhere that blood, feces, urine, vomit, and other body fluids are present. Commercial cleaning products are not sufficient enough to remediate biohazards, and the most effective way to ensure site safety is to hire a professional biohazard remediation company, like Biotrauma.