Microbiology and Microbes

Bioremediation and Biodegradation

Biodegradation is the transformation of a substance into new compounds through biochemical reactions or the actions of microorganisms such as bacteria or, alternatively, biodegradation is the process by which microbial organisms transform or alter (through metabolic or enzymatic action) the structure of chemicals introduced into the environment.
Bioremediation technologies utilize naturally occurring microorganisms, such as bacteria, fungi, and yeast, to degrade hazardous substances into non-toxic or less toxic substances. There are several advantages of using bioremediation processes compared with other remediation technologies: (1) biologically-based remediation detoxifies hazardous substances instead of merely transferring contaminants from one environmental medium to another; (2) bioremediation is generally less disruptive to the environment than excavation-based processes; and (3) the cost of treating a hazardous waste site using bioremediation technologies can be considerably lower than that for conventional treatment methods.