Bioremediation:
Bioremediation offers a cheaper, scalable, and sustainable alternative, especially in a country like India where vast stretches of land and water are affected but resources for remediation are limited.
- Bioremediation literally means “restoring life through biology.”
- It is the use of living organisms, primarily microorganisms, to degrade environmental contaminants into less toxic forms.
- It is used to clean up contaminated soil, air, and water.
- It harnesses microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, algae, and plants to sequester or transform toxic substances such as oil, pesticides, plastics, or heavy metals.
- These organisms metabolise these pollutants as food, breaking them down into harmless by-products such as water, carbon dioxide, or organic acids.
- In some cases, they can convert toxic metals into less dangerous forms that no longer leach into the soil or groundwater.
- Two Broad Types of Bioremediation:
- In situ bioremediation, where treatment happens directly at the contaminated site, such as when oil-eating bacteria is sprayed on an ocean spill;
- Ex situ bioremediation, where contaminated soil or water is removed, treated in a controlled facility, and returned once cleaned.
- Advantages:
- It cleans up the environment naturally without the use of toxic chemicals. So, it is an environmentally friendly
- It is cost-effective, as extensive equipment and labor are not needed.
- It is a recommended method for removing oil stains.
- Disadvantages:
- It is limited to the compounds which are degradable.
- It is not able to remove all kinds of impurities from the contaminated site. Like, some kind of inorganic contaminants cannot be treated with this bioremediation method.
- Some heavy metals cannot be completely broken down, resulting in toxic by-products.
