Bioremediation and Bio-Augmentation
What is Bioremediation?
Bioremediation refers to any method that uses microbes (micro-organisms) to recycle organic materials and sequester inorganic ions. Because the primary responsibility of microbes is to recycle organic material , they must be present in sufficient quantities and diversity in order to do this.
Under carefully controlled conditions, bioremediation can be a practical and cost effective method to remove hydrocarbons from contaminated surfaces and sub-surfaces.
What is Bio-Augmentation?
Bio-Augmentation is the addition of naturally occurring microbes to sites. Bio-stimulation is the modification of site and enhances the growth of indigenous microbes already present.
Under optimal conditions, a single microbe can divide every 20 – 30 minutes and live as long as optimal conditions exist. Once the conditions are no longer present the microbes will die off, be eaten by other microorganisms, or become dormant. Bio-Augmentation is an enzymatic process , wherein various enzymes effectively divide and cut up the molecule.
Basics and Essential Requirements for Bio-Augmentation
- Need a food source to be present and available
- Takes the place at the oil/water interface
- Activity is limited by oxygen (a residual level of 1 ppm or more)
- Requires inorganic nitrogen , phosphorus and potassium nutrients.
- One microbe can utilize one cell weight of hydrocarbon per hour
- The water used to activate microbes can be fresh or salt water.
- It is transformation instead of transportation.
- The greater the surface the faster the microbes work.
- Must exceed 1,000,000 microbes per gram of soil for enhanced bioremediation to proceed.
Procon specializes in Bio-Augmentation and has been involved in various bioremediation and oil spill projects. We will take other conditions into account, such as PH, temperature, salinity and the type of contaminant. Back to Procon Environmental Technologies
Contact Procon at our Witbank or Pretoria branch now!