BIOREMEDIATION

Man is a rational being and is curious to exploit/discover new things in the environment. In order for him to understand the life in a better aspect and try to solve the mystery of the nature/environment. While exploiting the environment, human activities resulted to pollution and RELEASE OF certain HAZARDOUS MATERIALS.

Bioremediation came as an option that offers the possibility to destroy or render harmless various contaminants using natural biological activity.

Bioremediation
the

branch of biotechnology that uses biological process to overcome environmental problems.

 Bioremediation

can be defined as any process that uses:

microorganisms, fungi, green plants or their enzymes to return the natural environment altered by contaminants to its original condition.

History
Bioremediation

technology using microorganisms was reportedly invented by George M. Robinson. He was the assistant county petroleum engineer for Santa Maria, California. During the 1960s, he spent his spare time experimenting with dirty jars and various mixes of microbes.

Bioremediation may be employed:

to attack specific soil contaminants, such as degradation of chlorinated hydrocarbons by bacteria.

An example of a more general approach is the cleanup of oil spills by the addition of nitrate and/or sulphate fertilisers to facilitate the decomposition of crude oil by indigenous or exogenous bacteria.

How might microorganisms attack hazardous organic wastes?

BIODEGRADATION

The breakdown of organic compounds by microorganisms

Mineralize

compound directly, compound converted to harmless inorganic molecules such as carbon dioxide and salts

Cont.
Of

prime importance are microorganisms capable of producing enzymes that will degrade the hazardous chemical (target compound) as enzymes degrade compounds through exploitation of the organisms energy need. compound to some other compound, which may also be toxic and recalcitrant to further degradation

Converting

REQUIREMENTS FOR BIOREMEDIATION

MICROORGANISMS

ENERGY SOURCE

ELECTRON ACCEPTOR

MOISTURE

pH

NUTRIENTS

TEMPERATURE
ABSENCE OF COMPETITIVE ORGANISMS

ABSENCE OF TOXICITY

REMOVAL OF METABOLITIES

BIOREMEDIATION

THE BASIC PROBLEM: RELEASE OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS

Enormous quantities of organic & inorganic compounds are released into the environment each year as a result of human activities.
The release may be: Deliberate and well regulated (industrial emissions) Accidental and largely unavoidable (chemical/oil spills) US EPA estimated that in 1980 at least 57 millions metric tons of the total waste can be categorized into three general groups:

Heavy metal, Pb, Hg, Cd, Ni and Be can accumulate in various organs, interfere with normal enzymatic reactions and cause disease including cancer Chlorinated hydrocarbons, also known as organochlorides including pesticides and other organic compounds such as PCB (polychlorinated biphenyls) Research proven a positive correlation between cancer in lab animals and organochlorides. Nuclear waste including radioactive material such as plutonium which are dangerous for thousands of years

BIOREMEDIATION

Bioremediation is the application of biological process principles to the treatment of groundwater, soil and sludges contaminated with hazardous chemicals. It requires the control and manipulation of microbial processes in surface reactors or in the subsurface.

The contaminants can be biodegraded in situ or removed and placed in bioreactor (at or off the contamination sites). Idea: To isolate microbes that can degrade or eat a particular contaminant To provide the conditions whereby it can do this most effectively, thereby eliminating the contaminant

CONCEPTS:

Heterotrophic microorganisms are the principal user of organic matter in the biosphere and are key in cycling carbon from the organic to the inorganic state. Provided that sufficient inorganic nutrients as an energy source and a terminal electron acceptor for metabolism are present, all naturally occurring organic material can be biodegraded eventually.

CONCEPTS:

Simple organic compounds such as acetate may persist under condition that do not favor microbial activity. These conditions include extremes in temperature or pH, the presence of toxicants or antimicrobial agents, the inhibition or exclusion of microbial enzymes, and the lack of water and an electron acceptor.

Microbial Divisions

Two kinds of cells are recognized, the procaryotic and eucaryotic. Procaryotic cell Bacteria Blue-green bacteria or cyanobacteria Eucaryotic cell Plants Animals Rotifers Protozoa Fungi Most algae

The most important groups to bioremediation are bacteria and fungi.

Microorganisms destroy organic contaminants in the course of using the chemicals for their own growth and reproduction. Organic chemicals provide: carbon, source of cell building material, electrons, source of energy

Metabolism is defined by the nature of the redox reaction Metabolism modes are divided into two; aerobic and anaerobic Cells catalyze oxidation of organic chemicals (electron donors), causing transfer of electrons from organic chemicals to some electron acceptor

Electron acceptors: In aerobic oxidation, acceptor is oxygen In anaerobic, acceptor is: -nitrate -manganese -iron -sulfate

TYPES OF BIOREMEDIATION

The two main types of bioremediation are in situ bioremediation and ex situ bioremediation. In addition, another offshoot of bioremediation is phytoremediation.

In Situ Bioremediation

In situ bioremediation is when the contaminated site is cleaned up exactly where it occurred. It is the most commonly used type of bioremediation because it is the cheapest and most efficient, so its generally better to use. There are two main types of in situ bioremediation: intrinsic bioremediation and accelerated bioremediation.

Intrinsic Bioremediation

Intrinsic bioremediation uses microorganisms already present in the environment to biodegrade harmful contaminant. There is no human intervention involved in this type of bioremediation, and since it is the cheapest means of bioremediation available, it is the most commonly used. When intrinsic bioremediation isnt feasible, scientists turn next to accelerated bioremediation.

Accelerated Bioremediation

In accelerated bioremediation, either substrate or nutrients are added to the environment to help break down the toxic spill by making the microorganisms grow more rapidly. Usually the microorganisms are indigenous, but occasionally microorganisms that are very efficient at degrading a certain contaminant are additionally added.

Main advantage is that site disturbance is minimized, which is particularly important when the contaminated plume has moved under permanent structures. Biggest limitation of in situ treatment has been the inability to deal effectively with metal contaminants mixed with organic compounds.

The goal of in situ treatment is to manage and manipulate the subsurface environment to optimize microbial degradation.

In Situ Bioremediation

Land treatments:

Bioventing is the most common in situ treatment and involves supplying air and nutrients through wells to contaminated soil to stimulate the indigenous bacteria.

In situ biodegradation involves supplying oxygen and nutrients by circulating aqueous solutions through contaminated soils to stimulate naturally occurring bacteria to degrade organic contaminants.
Bioaugmentation Bioremediation frequently involves the addition of microorganisms indigenous or exogenous to the contaminated sites.

Biosparging involves the injection of air under pressure below the water table to increase groundwater oxygen concentrations and enhance the rate of biological degradation of contaminants by naturally occurring bacteria. Biosparging increases the mixing in the saturated zone and thereby increases the contact between soil and groundwater.

Ex Situ Bioremediation

Another type of bioremediation is ex situ bioremediation, which is when contaminated land are taken out of the area to be cleaned up by the organisms. This type of bioremediation is generally used only when the site is threatened for some reason, usually by the spill that needs to be cleaned up. Ex situ bioremediation is only used when necessary because its expensive and damaging to the area, since the contaminated land is physically removed.

Ex Situ Bioremediation
Landfarming is a simple technique in which contaminated soil is excavated and spread over a prepared bed and periodically tilled until pollutants are degraded.

Composting is a technique that involves combining contaminated soil with nonhazardous organic compounds such as agricultural wastes. The presence of these organic materials supports the development of a rich microbial population and elevated temperature characteristic of composting.

Bioreactors-Slurry reactors or aqueous reactors are used for ex situ treatment of contaminated soil and water pumped up from a contaminated plume. Bioremediation in reactors involves the processing of contaminated solid material (soil, sediment, sludge) or water through an engineered containment system.

Phytoremediation

Phytoremediation is the use of plants to clean up potentially damaging spills. The plants work with soil organisms to transform contaminants, such as heavy metals and toxic organic compounds, into harmless or valuable forms.

Biodegradation

Biodegradation microbial catalyzed reduction in complexity of chemicals Involves the breakdown of organic compounds either through biotransformation into less complex metabolites or through mineralization into inorganic minerals, H2O, CO2 or CH4. Mineralization - conversion of an organic substrate to inorganic end products

Growth-linked metabolism biodegradation provides carbon and energy to support growth.

Maintenance metabolism biodegradation not linked to multiplication, but to obtaining carbon for respiration to maintain cell viability; take place only when organic carbon concentrations very low. The extent and rate of biodegradation depend on many factors including pH, temperature, oxygen, microbial population, degree of acclimation, accessibility of nutrients, chemical structure of the compound, cellular transport properties and chemical partitioning in growth medium.

BIODEGRADATION SYSTEM IN BIOREMEDIATION

MICROORGANISMS Growth Physiology Genetic competence Metabolic diversity Enzymology metabolites

CONTAMINANTS Mass transfer Bioavailability Hydrophobicity Recalcitrance Structure Toxicity

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS pH Temperature Moisture Oxygen Nutrients Soil type

Microorganisms

Microorganisms can be isolated from almost any environmental conditions. Microbes will adapt and grow at different temperatures, as well as extreme heat, desert conditions, in water, with an excess of oxygen, and in anaerobic conditions, with the presence of hazardous compounds or on any waste stream. Because of the adaptability of microbes and other biological systems, these can be used to degrade or remediate environmental hazards.

Nutrients

Although the microorganisms are present in contaminated soil, they cannot necessarily be there in the numbers required for bioremediation of the site. Their growth and activity must be stimulated. Biostimulation usually involves the addition of nutrients and oxygen to help indigenous microorganisms. These nutrients are the basic building blocks of life and allow microbes to create the necessary enzymes to break down the contaminants.

Carbon is the most basic element of living forms and is needed in greater quantities than other elements. In addition to hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen it constitutes about 95% of the weight of cells. The nutritional requirement of carbon to nitrogen ratio is 10:1, and carbon to phosphorous is 30:1.

Environmental requirements

Limitations to biodegradation

Adequate bacterial concentrations (although populations generally increase if there is food present) Electron acceptors Nutrients (e.g., nitrogen and phosphorus) Non-toxic conditions Minimum carbon source

Relative biodegradability

Advantages of bioremediation

Bioremediation is a natural process and is therefore perceived by the public as an acceptable waste treatment process Many compounds that are legally considered to be hazardous can be transformed to harmless products. Instead of transferring contaminants from one environmental medium to another, for example, from land to water or air, the complete destruction of target pollutants is possible.

Advantages of bioremediation
Bioremediation can often be carried out on site, often without causing a major disruption of normal activities. Bioremediation is less expensive

Disadvantages of bioremediation
Bioremediation is limited to those compounds that are biodegradable. There are some concerns that the products of biodegradation may be more persistent or toxic than the parent compound. It is difficult to extrapolate from bench and pilot-scale studies to full-scale field operations.

Disadvantages of bioremediation
Bioremediation often takes longer than other treatment options Biological processes are often highly specific. Important site factors required for success include the presence of metabolically capable microbial populations, suitable environmental growth conditions, and appropriate levels of nutrients and contaminants.

Case Study: Oil spill Bioremediation

As a result of the petroleum industry millions of tons of these compounds enter the oceans every year. Many hydrocarbons dissolve slowly in water. Others such as the aromatic compounds like benzene are more soluble, and these are toxic to living cells. While accidental releases may contribute to only a small percentage of the oil released into the marine environment large accidental oil spills receive much attention and evoke considerable public concern because they can result in contamination of ocean and shoreline environments.

Oil spill!!
The biggest spill ever occurred during the 1991 Persian Gulf war when about 240 million gallons spilled from oil terminals and tankers off the coast of Prince William Sound, Alaska. The Exxon Valdez accident at Bligh Reef in 1989 discharged 40 million litres.

Bioremediation to the rescue?

Initial studies showed that the number of oil degrading microorganisms on oiled beaches in comparison with untreated controls increased by as much as 10,000 times. Oleophilic fertilizer enhanced biodegradation of oil.

Bioremediation was a useful cleanup alternative that was used by Exxon on large scale.

Oleophilic fertilizer proven to be an effective nutrient source for oil degrading microbial communities. The beaches are more compatible with local wildlife (less tendency for fur and feathers to become oiled).