Bioremediation Flashcards
ppm
mg/kg or L of sample
ppb
ug/kg or L of sample
TPH
Total petroleum hydrocarbons
4 common modes of biodegradation of organic compounds
- cellular metabolism
- detoxifying enzymatic reactions
- non-enzymatic reactions
- cometabolism
Catabolism
C used as NRG source, CO2 released
Anabolism
C converted to biomass
Detoxifying enzymatic reactions
Antibiotic degradation, metal transformations
Non-enzymatic reactions
By-products of microbial metabolism changing environmental conditions
Cometabolism
Compound modified but not used for generation of energy or biomass
Of the various remediation technologies, what is the most/least expensive
Incineration is most, bioremediation is the least
Conventional remediation technologies
Incineration, containment, chemical additions and soil washing… excavation is often the first step
How are sites remediated using chemical additions
Chelating agents or hydrogen peroxide addition
What are examples of containment
Landfill, land farming, solidification/stabilization
What is the downside to conventional remediation strategies?
Pollutants may be converted to another form or moved to another environment
Why is bioremediation better than conventional strategies
Pollutants are destroyed, cost is lower
What are the two divisions of in situ bioremediation
Intrinsic and enhanced
Intrinsic bioremediation
Rely on existing microbes
What are some downsides to intrinsic bioremediation
Slow, requires comprehensive monitoring program
What are two divisions of enhanced bioremediation
Bioaugmentation and biostimulation
Bioaugmentation
Addition of microbes
Biostimulation
Addition of O2 or another electron acceptor, or addition of fertilizers or inducers
What are 4 things that need to be considered when performing a bioremediation assessment study
- are the contaminants biodegradable
- are degrative microbes present
- are the environment parameters optimal for degradation
- what are some limiting parameters
Phase 1 of a bioremediation assessment
Use of controls and methods for detection of pollutants or bio-degradation end-products, detecting and quantifying pollutant-degrading microorganisms (lab tests)
What is a biopile?
A collection of contaminated soil in which fertilizers and air are pumped into to enhance biodegradation