STSE little sheet Flashcards
Science, Technology, Society, and the Environment Metabolic Processes
1
Q
Describe the use of bacteria in cleaning chemical spills
A
As chemical spills have certain chemicals that cannot be metabolized by all eukaryotes, prokaryotes are often considered as they have special biochemical pathways that metabolize the molecules present in the chemicals. Specifically, some bacteria have the ability to feed on substances that may pose a risk to human life.
This process is called BIOAUGMENTATION: the use of specific microbes to break down substances that require disposal.
