What is BioRemediation?

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Bioremediation is a naturally occurring process where very small living organisms called microbes, clean up contaminated soil, ground water and surface.  Bioremediation stimulates the growth of certain microbes, in our case, bacteria, that use contaminants as a source of food and energy.

To start the bioremediation process, Microbes secrete enzymes much like the human body produces saliva and ­­­­stomach bile to digest food.  These enzymes break down contaminants in to smaller pieces.  The microbes are then able to consume the broken-down contaminants as a source of food and energy.  As a byproduct of the digestion process, microbes release water, carbon dioxide and other non-harmful amino acids.  In suitable environments with ample food supply, microbes reproduce, and create additional microbes to further aid in the removal of additional contaminants, and the cycle repeats until the food source is depleted.