Bioremediation is used to clean up contaminated sites that are environmentally hazardous. It is a relatively new technology that is being used in cleaning areas of land and water where there has been contamination by oil spills. It uses naturally occurring micro-organisms that are able to break down contaminants and release carbon dioxide and water, both natural to earths environment.
For the most part these micro-organisms exist and do break down contaminants however, they are not usually in such large quantities as to work miracles on large contaminated areas, without some form of assistance of bioremediation. Essentially, the goal of bioremediation is to overcome the factors that are limiting the natural degradation of the contaminants. Several methods can be used such as feeding the micro-organisms that are already present to increase their numbers or presenting great quantities of the necessary micro-organism to the contaminated site.
Since there are as many possible variables as there are micro-organisms, each bioremediation case must be treated uniquely. For example, for a large gasoline spillage, it would be necessary to use a multitude of different micro-organisms because gas is a mixture of over a hundred different organic compounds. No one micro-organism can break down such a compound therefore test must be accomplished before bioremediation can be used.
More lately, genetically engineered micro-organisms called Pseudomonas fluorescens HK44 has been designed to break down polyaromatic hydrocarbons like benzene, napthalene and other such contaminants. These are formed through the incomplete burning of organic substances such as coal, oil, gas, tobacco and other substances. These substances are very harmful to humans and animals. The versatility of these genetically engineered micro-organisms is capable of using many contaminants, both synthetic and naturally occurring, as a source of both carbon and energy.
So much of our earth is contaminated with chemicals that are harmful to the environment. Bioremediation is one of the ways that humans can and do use to clean up their backyard. Improving on natures abilities are the only way we sometimes have to clean up the mess that we sometimes create.