Bioremediation is a process for treating contaminated groundwater by stimulating naturally occurring microbes to degrade or metabolise the pollutant. A controlled expedite of a process that can occur naturally.

How It Works 

In the right context, microbes can turn harmful chemicals into more benign substances (usually some combination of carbon dioxide, water and/or innocuous salts). This is typically done in situ for groundwater, where treatment occurs entirely underground without having to excavate soil or pump large quantities of water up out of the ground. For more information on Groundwater Remediation, visit https://soilfix.co.uk/services/groundwater-remediation/

What’s needed for it to work:

Microbes need the right environment. That typically means:

Aerobic bio-remediation (so enough oxygen) or the right alternative electron acceptors (in anaerobic conditions).

Nutrients (like nitrogen and phosphorus)

The proper pH and temperature

A contaminant that could be degraded by the microbes.

In some cases, a remediation contractor may inject oxygen, nutrients or carbon (often referred to as anode substrate) through injection wells in order to promote microbial activity.

What bioremediation is used for

Petroleum hydrocarbons (e.g. petrol and diesel components) are commonly considered for bioremediation, as well some solvents, depending on site conditions.

Pros and limitations

Major benefits include low disturbance and costs that may be less than high-intensity mechanical treatments. This comes at the cost of time as bioremediation can also require several months or longer and constant monitoring to verify that contaminant levels are decreasing and the plume isn’t spreading.

When selecting a method, the essential question to ask is: will the site conditions be able to support this biology?