Bioremediation and its factors

 

 

Bioremediation

A biotechnological intervention for cleaning up the residual effects of human activities.

Factors affecting the use of bioremediation

There are two broad groups to ivied these factors, character o contaminants itself, an those which depend on environmental conditions.

image credit by wikipedia

Factors influencing bioremediation

Pollutant chemical nature, temperature, environmental factors, ph. level, dissolved oxygen concentration, soil factors.

Temperature

Temperature plays an important role in controlling the rate of enzymatic reactions within microorganisms. 0 and 50 degree centigrade, most efficient; 20-30 degree centigrade.

 Bacteria’s which  initiate in warm springs and can exist in cool soil and can be triggered to degrade hydrocarbons with an increase in temperature to 60 degree C.

ph

ph. ranges of 5.0-9.0. However 6.0-8.0 being most efficient because the survival of most living microbes depend on the ph. They need an optimum ph. Every microorganism have a specific narrow range which is known as the optimum ph .

Nutrient availability

Nutrients which are essential for the growth a proper functioning of organisms such a nitrogen and phosphorus are necessary for microbial activity and cell growth. Soils which have rich amount of nitrogen in soul cause microbial inhibition.

there are other factors which also influence the bioremediation such a soil type, depth, porosity, texture, moisture content, water holding capacity, humus content and biological activity.

Moisture content

All kind of microorganisms in soil require moisture for their cell growth and proper functioning. Accessibility of after affects circulation of water and soluble nutrients into and out of microorganism cells. Excess amount such as saturated  soil is undesirable cause it reduces the amount of oxygen for aerobic respiration.