Bioremediation

Bioremediation is an important branch of Environmental Biotechnology, which is dedicated to the purification of water, soil and atmosphere with the help of plants, fungi, insects, worms and other organisms. The main methods used by bioremediation are the restoration of soil or reservoir environment, or decomposition or other recast of harmful compounds.

Filtration field is one of the very first methods of bioremediation. These are special plots of land, prepared and planned so that dirty water passes through the dense roots of sown plants and become clean. Irrigation field is a modification of filtration field, but in irrigation field the dirty water is also used as watering for growing plants.

Nowadays methods of Bioremediation are more diverse. It uses not only plants, but also bacteria, fungi and animals (for example, in crayfish, mussels and other mollusks, which can clean water bodies). Many microorganisms are able to decompose pollution, and also loosen the soil and increase the oxygen content in it. which allow people to continue to use fields for growing useful crops. Of course, there are many methods of cleaning the environment, but bioremediation is distinguished among them as the most efficient, non-energy-consuming, and "green."

Education in Bioremediation area

Bioremediation can be studied as a part of Environmental Biotechnology, Environmental Microbiology or Environmental Technology study programs. Students can choose Bioremediation as a specialization. Separate study programs in Bioremediation are quite rare, usually it is taught as a Master degree. Applicants for these study programs need to hold an undergraduate degree in relevant fields.