Engineering Successful Bioremediation
Michael Harbottle
from: Biofilms in Bioremediation: Current Research and Emerging Technologies (Edited by: Gavin Lear). Caister Academic Press, U.K. (2016) Pages: 3-22.
Abstract
Bioremediation has become a well-established tool in the armoury of engineers wishing to address the problems of contaminated land, water or waste. Successful delivery of bioremediation requires a combination of expertise from such diverse fields as civil engineering, soil science and environmental microbiology; whilst the contribution from engineering may appear to be straightforward, a detailed understanding of often complex ground conditions (physical, chemical and biological) is needed to avoid failure. In this chapter the common techniques for the implementation of bioremediation are described, alongside an introduction to the effects of real materials and environments on the behaviour of contaminants and microorganisms, particularly those of natural heterogeneity in geological materials, and the potentially detrimental effects these may have on achieving a successful outcome within a reasonable period of time. The chapter concludes with a brief summary of potential enhancements for the practical implementation of bioremediation currently at the research stage read more ...
