bioremediation+(Kenzie+Alexander)



Bioremediation **The Overview:** Biorememdiation is the process where microorganisms break down harmful products into hamless ones ("What is Bioremediation," 2005). Bacteria is used to break down products using their enzymes. However, not all products can be broken down using bacteria. Heavy metals are not easily destroyed by organisms.   media type="youtube" key="_zTWBCx_O6o" height="215" width="226" align="center"

This video shows a brief visual of the bioremediation process and how it can clean up oil spills

**The** **Problems and How it Works:** Bioremediation was created in order to take care of pollution and pollutants in the environment. Getting rid of contaminating products in our biosphere will increase our quality of life (Vidali, 2001). Often oil spills or fuel can be contained but problems will arise later with the small leftover products of the leak. Not only that, but with industry growing as quickly as it is, many harmful chemical biproducts are released into the environment (Arizona State University, 2006). With bioremediation, small bacteria or other organisms can be used to decompose spills such as these into CO2 or other harmless bi products. They can even be stimulated faster with the addition of nutrients. By making the organisms environment full of nutrients, they can biodegrade contaminating factors much faster and keep the environment clean ("Bioremediation: Nature's Way," 1997). 

**Useful?** Bioremediation is useful for cleaning the environment. Oil spills and waste products from corporations can be minimalized using this form of natural break down(Arizona State University, 2006). 

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This video shows a real life example of the accomplishments that bioremedation has made **Nutrient Cycles:** **Water Cycle:** Bioremediation is often used while cleaning up waste in water. Bioremediation just takes the waste in water and changes it into environment friendly ones. Bioremediation is placed into water, either the runoff or large bodies of water, and disperses throughout in order to clean it up. When bioremediation is used to clean up oil spills and other chemicals it often changes the harmful reactants into CO2. This directly relates to the carbon cycle. Bioremediation is releasing carbon into the water or atmosphere, therefore taking part in the carbon cycle.
 * Carbon Cycle:**

**Good or Bad Solution?**  Bioremediation provides a solution to many chemical waste problems. It is not an expensive form of cleaning and does not require much energy from the company or person. It is environmentally clean and self sustaining.
 * Pro:**

**Con:** Bioremediation does form a harmless waste product. This does contribute to other problems in our biosphere. Recycling products is always the safer way to take care of waste, however bioremediation is a good median (Arizona State University, 2006). It does take a long period of time to minimize the negative effects from a waste product. Also it only works on certain contaminants. The only consequences are the time spent using bioremediation and the limiting contaminants. There are no real negative effects of bioremediation. <span style="background: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; mso-highlight: silver; mso-shading: #aaffaa; msohighlight: silver; msoshading: #aaffaa;">

<span style="background: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; msohighlight: silver; msoshading: #aaffaa;">** Overall: Viable ** Bioremediation is not harming any part of the environment. It is useful to companies and other people for cleaning up harmful waste products. It does have some drawbacks or setbacks because of its minimal use and time frame, however it is a good solution to problems facing our biosphere. The only harm is gives is its lack in speed and variety. If a problem can be solved using bioremediation is should. It is a viable solution to our problems. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <span style="background: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; mso-highlight: silver; msohighlight: silver;"> **References:**

Arizona State University,. (2006, February 13). //Bioremediation//. Retrieved from http://bioenergy.asu.edu/photosyn/courses/BIO_343/lecture/bioremed.html

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Vidali, M. (2001). //Bioremediation: An Overview//. Retrieved from http://old.iupac.org/publications/pac/2001/pdf/7307x1163.pdf

(1994). //Bioremediation Diagram//. Retrieved from http://www.erc.montana.edu/res-lib99-sw/Image_Library/Bioremediation/Images-full/CBE-94_Brm-MMM.jpg

(1997, April). //Bioremediation: Nature's Way To A Cleaner Environment//. Retrieved from http://water.usgs.gov/wid/html/bioremed.html

(2005, May 25). //What is Bioremediation//. Retrieved from []

(2007). Bioremediation Process [Video].

(2009). Using Bacteria To Clean Up Toxic Waste [Episode].