Bioremediation

Bioremediation is one method of cleaning up contamination in the environment through the activities of living organisms. There are three types of bioremediation strategies involving microorganisms: 1) Natural attenuation – In some cases, natural populations adapt to the contaminant conditions and are able to convert the contaminants to non-hazardous endproducts rapidly enough to prevent impact “down stream”. 2) Biostimulation – In some cases, natural populations can be stimulated to degrade contaminants by adding something, such as nutrients. Anaerobic respiration is a common process by which organisms degrade contaminants, and the amendments are often the electron donors or electron acceptors needed by the organism to complete the decontaminating reaction. 3) Bioaugmentation – In some cases it is necessary to add the microbial organisms that are capable of degrading the contaminant.

Arsenic Arsenic Removal at Lava Cap Chlorinated Compounds Chlorinated Organic Solvents in Aquifers; Dechlorinating 1,1,2,2 Tetrachloroethane Methyl Bromide Bacterial Oxidation of Methyl Bromide in Soils; Removal of Methyl Bromide from Contained Fumigations

• USGS Toxic Substances Hydrology Program - Natural Attenuation

Scientists* Baesman, Shaun M. Bekins, Barbara A.   Bradley, Paul M.   Chapelle, Francis H.   Foster, Andrea L. Kirshtein, Julie Miller, Laurence G. Oremland, Ronald S. Smith, Richard L.   Voytek, Mary

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*this list of USGS scientists involved in bioremediation is likely to be incomplete