Answer:
Bioremediation is the process by which microbes (generally
bacteria) or plants transform a harmful water contaminant
into a non-harmful substance, much as we turn sugar into
carbon dioxide and water. Bioremediation can help clean up
ground water contaminated with gasoline, solvents, and
other contaminants. Often, the bacteria are already
present in the soil or aquifer, and bioremediation takes
place naturally. In some cases, the rate of bioremediation
is too slow to effectively clean up a plume of
contaminated water before it gets to a spring, well, lake,
or stream. In those cases, the rate of bioremediation can
sometimes be enhanced by adding a substance that acts like
a fertilizer to make the bacteria grow and feed more
rapidly. This substance, which depends on the local
chemistry and hydrology, might be nitrate, or oxygen, or
iron, or something else. Additional information is on a
bioremediation fact sheet.
