How does bioremediation clean up gasoline and oil spills?
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USGS Frequently Asked Questions
Question:
How does bioremediation clean up gasoline and oil spills?
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.
