L2 - Biological Treatment Intro Flashcards
What are the advantages of biological treatment over phyisco-chemical?
Less energy intensive and produce better results
What does bioremediation cover?
- Conversion of a chemical into another via bio
- Sequestration, accumulations eg metals
- Change in physical form eg insoluble to soluble
What does bioattenuation mean?
Natural breakdown of compounds
What is bioaugmentation?
Adding microbes to speed up degredation
What is biostimulation?
Modifying environ to increase clean up rates
What is biotransformation?
Chemical modification of compound to another
What is biosorption?
Organisms concentrate and bind contaminants in cells
What is Bioaccumulation?
Accumulation of organic chemicals in an organism
What is bioleaching?
Extraction of metals from a site
What are examples of zooremediation?
Vermistabilisation - conversion of matter by earthworms into small fragments, increases SA for microbial attack. Used to digest waste sewage sludge. Aerates soils, can be tolerant to pollutants
- Fish to remove polychlorinated biphenyls from sea water
- Mussels or oysters coculture with salmon to reduce nutrient pollution from waste feed
- Sponges to remove contaminating microbes from sewage effluent
What microorganisms are used in biological treatment
bacteria
fungi
protozoa
algae
What are examples of hostile environments microorganisms may have to work in?
Hydrocarbon degradation in arctic soils (psycrophiles)
- Removing sulphur compounds from mine processing waters (acidophiles)
- Degrade PCB in contaminated sediment (anaerobes)
What is a phototroph?
Gets energy from sun
What is a chemotroph?
Gets energy from chemicals
What is a heterotroph?
Gets carbon from organic chemicals
