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Questions and Answers
What defines pollution in the context of remediation?
What defines pollution in the context of remediation?
- Only solid waste products dumped in natural areas.
- The natural degradation of organic matter in ecosystems.
- Anything harmful introduced into the environment by humans. (correct)
- Any naturally occurring element exceeding normal environmental levels.
Efforts to remove pollutants from contaminated sites only include bioremediation.
Efforts to remove pollutants from contaminated sites only include bioremediation.
False (B)
What is the goal of 'remediation' in environmental terms?
What is the goal of 'remediation' in environmental terms?
To remove pollutants from contaminated sites.
The use of organisms to degrade pollutants is known as ______.
The use of organisms to degrade pollutants is known as ______.
Match the following types of pollution with an example:
Match the following types of pollution with an example:
A community is experiencing high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus in their local waterways, leading to eutrophication. According to the information, this would be classified as pollution by which of the following?
A community is experiencing high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus in their local waterways, leading to eutrophication. According to the information, this would be classified as pollution by which of the following?
Temperature changes in a water body cannot be considered a form of pollution.
Temperature changes in a water body cannot be considered a form of pollution.
Give an example of how 'noise' can be considered a pollutant.
Give an example of how 'noise' can be considered a pollutant.
The alteration of natural darkness levels, typically through excessive artificial lighting, is referred to as light ______.
The alteration of natural darkness levels, typically through excessive artificial lighting, is referred to as light ______.
Match each pollution type with its potential environmental impact:
Match each pollution type with its potential environmental impact:
What is the primary function of bioremediation?
What is the primary function of bioremediation?
Bacteria that can break down oil compounds are artificially created and do not occur naturally in the environment.
Bacteria that can break down oil compounds are artificially created and do not occur naturally in the environment.
Describe how bacteria help in oil spills.
Describe how bacteria help in oil spills.
The natural process where microbes break down pollutants after a spill is microbial ______.
The natural process where microbes break down pollutants after a spill is microbial ______.
Match each bacterial role with its respective action during bioremediation:
Match each bacterial role with its respective action during bioremediation:
Why might scientists invest effort into developing bioremediation strategies when natural microbial degradation already occurs?
Why might scientists invest effort into developing bioremediation strategies when natural microbial degradation already occurs?
Once pollutants are spilled, microbial degradation is the only process by which pollutants degrade naturally.
Once pollutants are spilled, microbial degradation is the only process by which pollutants degrade naturally.
What problem does the implementation of bioremediation solve?
What problem does the implementation of bioremediation solve?
To boost microbial growth the technique of ______ can be applied to enhance bioremediation.
To boost microbial growth the technique of ______ can be applied to enhance bioremediation.
Match the following techniques with their function in bioremediation:
Match the following techniques with their function in bioremediation:
What is the purpose of 'biostimulation' in bioremediation?
What is the purpose of 'biostimulation' in bioremediation?
Bioaugmentation involves only the removal of existing organisms from a contaminated site.
Bioaugmentation involves only the removal of existing organisms from a contaminated site.
How do surfactants work in the bioremediation process?
How do surfactants work in the bioremediation process?
Substances that enhance pollutant availability by breaking them into smaller pieces are called ______.
Substances that enhance pollutant availability by breaking them into smaller pieces are called ______.
Match each component of bioremediation with its function:
Match each component of bioremediation with its function:
What is the specific function of surfactants in bioremediation processes?
What is the specific function of surfactants in bioremediation processes?
Phytoremediation involves the use of bacteria to degrade pollutants.
Phytoremediation involves the use of bacteria to degrade pollutants.
What is main advantage of using phytoremediation techniques?
What is main advantage of using phytoremediation techniques?
The use of plants to degrade or contain pollutants is called ______.
The use of plants to degrade or contain pollutants is called ______.
Ecologists use Jerusalem Artichoke to remove pollutants from the soil. This plant occurs naturally in the region, but is not abundant at the site, and ecologists manually plant more plants. What is this an example of?
Ecologists use Jerusalem Artichoke to remove pollutants from the soil. This plant occurs naturally in the region, but is not abundant at the site, and ecologists manually plant more plants. What is this an example of?
Flashcards
Remediation
Remediation
Efforts to remove pollutants from contaminated sites, sometimes including bioremediation.
Pollution
Pollution
Anything harmful introduced into the environment by humans.
Bioremediation
Bioremediation
The use of organisms to degrade pollutants.
Biodegradation
Biodegradation
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Biostimulation
Biostimulation
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Bioaugmentation
Bioaugmentation
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Surfactants
Surfactants
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Bioreactors
Bioreactors
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Phytoremediation
Phytoremediation
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Study Notes
- Remediation aims to remove pollutants from contaminated sites and includes bioremediation
- Pollution is anything harmful introduced to the environment by humans, including solids, liquids, gases, nutrients, temperature, noise, and light
Mechanical Remediation
- One form of mechanical remediation involves physical removal of pollutants, like trash, from water bodies
Bioremediation
- Bioremediation utilizes organisms to break down pollutants
Bioremediation After Oil Spills
- After an oil spill, pollutants undergo microbial degradation naturally, although this may not be the only natural degradation process
- Effort is invested in bioremediation to enhance and accelerate the natural degradation of pollutants
Techniques to aid bioremediation
- Biostimulation enhances the population of helpful organisms
- Bioaugmentation adds organisms to the population
- Surfactants make pollutants more available
- Bioreactors provide fine control over environmental factors
Biostimulation
- Biostimulation encourages microbial growth to biodegrade pollutants
- Methods include bioventing and nutrient addition to control temperature and pH levels
Bioaugmentation
- Bioaugmentation uses added organisms to degrade pollutants
- Mixed results can be seen with bioaugmentation due to limiting growth factors, pollutant concentration/availability, and microbial community dynamics
Surfactants
- Surfactant use can enhance pollutant availability
- This is done by breaking pollutants into smaller pieces, lowering surface tension, or emulsifying the pollutant
Superfund Program
- Superfund is a U.S. program to clean up uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous-waste sites, accidents, spills, and other emergency releases of pollutants
Bioreactors
- Bioreactors allow fine control over factors such as temperature, pH, aeration, moisture, and the abundance of microorganisms
- This enhances the rate and effectiveness of degradation
Phytoremediation
- Phytoremediation uses living plants to degrade or contain pollutants
- Advantages include ease of implementation and monitoring, visual appeal, cost-effectiveness, and effectiveness at low concentrations
- There is less disturbance to topsoil, which may improve soil stabilization
- Phytodegradation can render pollutants safe
Phytoremediation Disadvantages
- Slow applications
- Grazers may be harmed by the accumulation of pollutants during phytoextraction
- Methods are needed to dispose plants filled with pollutants to prevent bioaccumulation in the food chain
Important Points
- Pollutants vary in substance (solids, nutrients, noise) and effect (toxic, mechanical)
- Bioremediating organisms reduce the harmful effects of pollutants through metabolic processes
- These organisms often occur naturally but are limited, so bioaugmentation, biostimulation, and bioreactors can improve bioremediation
Pollutant Degradation
- For example, Jerusalem Artichokes are used to remove pollutants from the soil to clean up old mine sites. Ecologists plant more plants at the site where Jerusalem Artichokes occur naturally, but are not abundant
- This is an example of bioaugmentation
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