Toxic Clean Up 911 @ Steamboats.com
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Positive Energy Future
the Organic Cures Blog by Nori Muster
The cutting edge technologies discussed on this page are working around the world. America is turning out to be a leader and chief user of bioremediation methods. If you are in the midst of a 911 situation and need options for bioremediation for toxic spills - click here.
If you have bioremediation products that clean up toxins, we want to connect you with the people who need it. We support you in getting the word out. Please contact us - click here.
On a scale of one to ten—we give test tubes and petroleum a one, and plant enzymes a ten. This website is for bioremediation products that rely on the process of enzymes found in plant material, such as microbes, friendly bacteria, and fungus. The cutting edge nowadays is nature's edge. We do not seek to overthrow the science of chemistry! We simply want scientists to open up to nature's chemistry. The modern science of chemistry has been with us for about six hundred years, since the alchemists. However, nature has had millions of years to perfect her chemistry.
This blog is an aggregate of the latest news from sources like Google Alerts, using keywords like bioremediation. Whenever an interesting link comes along, or a new product, I add it to this page. In the newer part of the site, I have gone through to weed out dead links and put them into categories.To reach the new site, click here: new site map. Where you are now is the older site, where the links are only roughly categorized.
Remember the summer of 2010, watching Corexit spew into the Gulf Coast at nearly the same rate as the ruptured BP oil pipe? While we watched in horror, smart bioremediation research and development accelerated. Producers applied for EPA approval of their products and got it. That is an example of getting busy to reject anger, frustration, and hate. The research into bioremediation has grown exponentially since that time. There is a real need for bioremediation, since man has polluted much of the earth's surface.
Toxiccleanup911.steamboats.com is a new website that will make it easier for decision makers in a disaster to get ahold of you. If your product is not listed, please send us a link. The criteria for the products we list on our sites is that they are non-toxic, biodegradable, and depend on the action of friendly microbes, bacteria, enzymes, fungus, or plants. The more natural, the better for us. For example, contact us if you grow and sell plants to remediate specific toxins. We want you if you are a landscape architect, versed in phytoremediation, who can come in with a plan to remediate a valley, a hillside, a wetland. If you have research you want to share, please send us a link. We also need volunteers who will sift through the lists of products and research and help pick out the best, organized, and catagorize what we have. And of course, if you find a product that is not a natural product, we need to know! If you find a broken link, or have new information, please send it in.*
We need bioremediation everywhere, not just in the midst of a disaster! The environment needs more friendly microbes on the congested intersections, industrial yards, stockyards, and landfills of the world. If we clean up the contamination on our earth, it will remove anthropogenic greenhouse gasses from the atmosphere, as well.
Bioremediation Products
Master List of Industrial Products and Contractors
This section is compiled from the Google Alerts and other sources, and includes all bioremediation products we have found. Most of these are for industrial use, but mixed in are many fine consumer products. Get into the probiotic paradigm—use probiotics to clean up petroleum product toxins.
NASA Microencapsulation Technology
NASA discovered a way to turn ordinary beeswax into microcapsules, tiny beads of wax with hollow centers. The microcapsules absorb dangerous chemical toxins, neutralize them, and then dissolve. They call it PRP: "Petroleum Remedation Product." Developing this technology into producs for home and industry is a good example of public-prive sector cooperation.
UniRemInc.com this is the company that sells products based on PRP. Plus, they are looking for distributors.
spinoff.nasa.gov Here is an article that mentions NASA's discovery. Excerpt:
Just because there is NASA-developed technology used for non-aerospace applications doesn't mean that you use it in your day-to-day life. Some NASA technology is used more frequently for industrial applications.
This includes a noteworthy invention that is used to clean up oil spills. It consists of microcapsules of beeswax that stimulate the microbes to consume the oil. This makes use of NASA microencapsulation technology developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California. Not only does this product stimulate microbial life to remove the oil, the beeswax spheres actually absorb oil into their hollow centers and dispose of it safely. It is important that the oil is not allowed to settle, another reason why this technology is so effective. This is just one example of NASA inspired technology that benefits our daily lives indirectly by improving the condition of the overall environment.
If the video above does not show, link to Youtube.
More Bioremediation Products
ecosynthetix.com natural replacements for petro-based products.
agsource.net top EPA approved bioremediation products for oil spills.
DCL Biosolv a new bioremediation product designed specifically for use with soil and groundwater contaminated with chlorinated solvents and certain other contaminants including pesticides, nitroaromatics and oxidised heavy metals. by Telluric Land Remediation, based in Cardiff, Wales.
sand-creek.com Contractors who provide environmental management solutions using phytoremediation, phytosequestration, phytovolatilization, phytostabilization, and rhizodegradation
job offer FMC Corporation announced the launch of its new anaerobic bioremediation ELS product, an emulsified lecithin substrate designed to enhance in-situ anaerobic bioremediation of groundwater containing chlorinated contaminants. ELS product combines lecithin with a surfactant - both food grade - to support the growth of bacteria that degrade chlorinated organic contaminants in groundwater. As a stable, concentrated emulsion, it is easily diluted with cold water at project sites and is suitable for use under a wide range of conditions. ELS can treat chlorinated solvents, chlorobenzenes, haloalkanes, pesticides and organic explosive compounds, giving it potential for use at dry cleaners, military bases, and manufacturing plants, among other sites.
Prairie Oil Field of Canada begins to use bioremediation RATHWELL, MB, CANADA--(Marketwired - May 31, 2013) - Hutech21Co. Ltd. (PINKSHEETS: CLGZF), d.b.a. Prairie Oil Field Services Ltd. ("Prairie Oil Field" or "the Company"), a mining, manufacturer and distributor of crushed gravel and sand materials in North America, announced today that it plans to negotiate the licensing of a biotreatment process that can provide year round, quick, simple and efficient solution to dispose of contaminated soils. The technology is completely natural and does not represent a threat to human health, plants and animals. In fact, all the microorganisms used are included in the list of substances authorized by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. "What makes this process different from other biotechnologies is its superior effectiveness and ability to quickly attain results -- turning contaminated, wasted soil into revenue-generating, reusable soils," said Darcy Hird, President and CEO of Prairie Oil Field.
MB Bioremediation by Drylet* is listed in the EPA National Contingency Plan (NCP) Product Schedule. It delivers hundreds of billions of live microorganisms that consume petroleum-based products including: gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, motor oil, solvents, alcohols, kerosene, methylene chloride, methanol, glycols, crude oil, waste oil, oily sludge, BTEX, AFFF waste, pipeline condensate, acrylonitrile, MTBE, cresol, toluene, oil-based paints, inks, and paint thinner.
BioSolve Spill Remediation BioSolve Pinkwater for oil/fuel vapor suppression, soil remediation, tank cleaning and spill cleanup. It does not contain any bacteria, enzymes or active biological material. However, Pinkwater will accelerate bioremediation by making hydrocarbon molecules more readily digestible by bacteria that are naturally present in the environment. In fact, hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria naturally produce surfactants in order to facilitate digestion of hydrocarbons. Therefore, the role of Pinkwater in bioremediation is to accelerate this naturally occurring process. example
Re-vegetate contaminated sites "Along with partners Waterloo Environmental Biotechnology Inc. (WEBi) and the University of Waterloo, we developed an innovative phytoremediation Phytoremediation is the use of plants to extract, degrade, contain and immobilize chemicals, including petroleum hydrocarbons and salt, from the soil. technology called PEPS. Our scientifically and commercially proven system uses naturally occurring soil rhizobacteria plus agricultural amendments and scientific methodologies designed for site specific conditions and characteristics. PEPS generates vigorous above and below ground plant growth that results in rapid remediation of soils contaminated with hydrocarbon, salt and some trace metals."
Landau Inc. Environmental contractors that use natural methods.
biocleansupply.com click on "Bio-Clean" for enzyme septic system product.
wildfermentation.com * motherearthnews.com Make your own Sauerkraut, containing healthy gut microbes.
Sea-Chem Synergistic System A New Approach to Contaminated Land: Sea Power 101, BioBoost; they have bacteria strains to digesting soil contaminants; certain strains of pseudomonas within it can actually metabolize BTEX chains, something previously thought impossible.
Geosyntec Consultants solving complex environment, natural resources, and civil infrastructure problems
Remediact(TM) Bioremediation Powder Hydrocarbon-digesting microbes turn oil spills on soil into harmless carbon dioxide and water.
2012 Olympics bioremediation - the London Olympics marked the successful bioremediation and regeneration of 500 acres of former industrial land polluted with chemical fertilizers, landfills toxins, soil, and groundwater pollution. This victory represents one of the world's largest brownfield regeneration projects. The company responsible for the clean-up is Regensis Excerpt from the article:
"Subsoil remediation for the Aquatic Centre site began in November 2007, using dual-phase vacuum extraction (DPVE) to remove the LNAPL. But with construction slated to start the following April, it was clear that DPVE alone would not be sufficient to remediate the dissolved-phase hydrocarbon plume. An in situ solution became the only viable option. In situ enhanced bioremediation, a widely accepted and well-understood natural biodegradation process, was chosen to clean up this portion of the site. This approach utilizes indigenous microbes to aerobically biodegrade petroleum hydrocarbons in-place. The actual process is facilitated using an injectable, REGENESIS' Advanced Oxygen Release Compound (ORC Advanced®). Upon hydration and injection, this powder-like material accelerates aerobic bioremediation by releasing molecular dissolved oxygen for periods up to 12 months on a single application. Without this valuable oxygen supply, the required aerobic bioremediation processes either cease or proceed at very slow rates. The patented Controlled-Release Technology (CRT) in ORC Advanced allows for an efficient, long-term release of oxygen which provides optimal conditions for sustained aerobic biodegradation. CRT also saves time and money during implementation by eliminating the need for multiple oxygen release compound applications. Additionally, ORC Advanced® was applied at the LAC site using direct-push injection. This application approach is highly efficient as it requires no permanent well installation, above-ground piping or mechanical equipment and after application, no operational costs or further site disturbance." Bio World USA BioWorld Hydrocarbon Treatment is listed on the EPA NCP Product Schedule under Bioremediation Agents. This enables federal on-scene coordinators to authorize the use of BioWorld for oil spill cleanups. Check out their page at epa.gov: click here.
Ecolotree Iowa-based engineering company that designs, installs, and maintains engineered forests to phyto-remediate sewage, landfills, and chemical spill sites.
Bioremediation Consulting Inc. (BCI) Announces Development of the First Commercial Culture to Degrade Highly Chlorinated Polychlorinated Biphenyls
Liquatex bioremediation products "eat" oil
Mariner's Choice
Cemcor Environmental Services (CES) Joins Tersus Environmental as Sales and Marketing Business Partner Ohio based CemcorEnvironmental Services (CES) will expand itsgroundwater remediation product line for enhanced bioremediation. The expanded product line includes Tersus' complete family of electron donors for enhanced anerobic bioremediation, peroxygens (TersOx), and the MicroBlower, a passive soil vaporextraction technology patented by the DOE's Savannah River National Laboratory as well as iSOC, HiSOC and gPRO from inVentures which Tersus is the exclusive worldwide representative for. CES, led by Craig Marlow, will help support Tersus Environmental's continued commitment to providing outstanding customer service and assistance, helping to ensure superior remediation outcomes. "We are excited to expand our product line to include the Tersus family of soil and groundwater remediation technologies into the Great Lakes Region,: Craig said.
fungi.com grow your own food and medicinal mushrooms, brought to you by leading mycologist and author Paul Stamets
Oceans-esu.com global bioremediation contractor
Cemcor Remediation Services remediation contractor
sosenvironmental.com Bioremediation products for oil drilling waste, saltwater, saltwater soil
marinerschoice.net bioremediation products, a publicly traded company
Monmouth Bio Products providers of water and soil bioremediation using friendly bacteria.
LBI Renewable news: A product made by LBI Renewable from beetle-killed trees was recently listed as one of 21 products to meet Environmental Protection Agency requirements for use in emergency oil spill response. see article - click here
Probiotic Solutions wastewater treatment with Micro Carbon Technology-based nutrient packages that enhance existing microbial activity.
Lambda Bioremediation Systems, Inc. The Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority has awarded contracts for cleanup of oil polluted soil at a former Jeep factory site in central Toledo. Work funded by a Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund grant.
Tersus Environmental Innovative sustainable green technologies for groundwater and soil remediation
Market Watch MC Endeavors, Inc. Announces Signed Distributorship and Strategic Partnership with LBI Renewable MCE to Sell LBI's Biodegradable Absorption Products in Texas & Haiti. The Buffalo, Wyoming based company, which manufactures 100 percent natural, patent pending sorbents and bioremediation agents, was founded in 2007.
Krueger Enterprises This company makes a spectrum of microbial products for the home, including N.O.C. and N.O.C.-Plus (Natures Odor Catalyst - microbial); and B.O.S.S. (Bacterial Odor & stain Stopper). And many other natural cleaning products.
BioCleaner has been issued an Environmental Technology Verification certificate by the Department of Science and Technology and is recognized by the US Environmental Protection Agency.
fungi.com sells a variety of friendly fungus, including mycorrhiza fungus products, which help plants grow. Natural beneficial fungus is stripped from the soil when developers scrape and pack a building site.
Advanced Microbial Services products for soil remediation
proactbiotech.com The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has listed Pro-Act Biotech's OilClean bioremediation agent for oil-contaminated environments on the EPA National Contingency Plan Product Schedule. The non-invasive, innovative, and self-powered OilClean system automatically distributes oil-eating microbes, nutrients, and oxygen and features onsite and remote system management capabilities. OilClean combines biological and patented technologies to naturally degrade oil and restore oil-polluted ecosystems. A joint venture between Pro-Act Biotech and EcoSolutions LLC, it is the only system available that optimizes treatment by monitoring water quality in the treatment zone to balance nutrients and dissolved oxygen to achieve efficient and reliable results.
oil-clean.net The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has listed Pro-Act Biotech's OilClean™ bioremediation agent for oil-contaminated environments on the EPA National Contingency Plan Product Schedule. The non-invasive, innovative, and self-powered OilClean system automatically distributes oil-eating microbes, nutrients, and oxygen and features onsite and remote system management capabilities.
Oxygreen.net natural products for bioremediation Click here for press release re. OxyGreen Enviro-Equipment, Inc. project to remediate petro-contamination in ground water.
AdventusGroup.com trusted partner for remediation products
ActCleaners.com microbial cleaners for multiple purposes
Oil-eating Israeli bacteria for BP spill article describes use of microbes to clean up the BP oil spill
Mosstile add oxygen to any living room.
terranovabiosystems.com contaminated soil bioremediation, including oil spill pollution Terra Nova employs powerful microbes to break down hydrocarbon contamination into natural products.
Sarva Bio Remed LLC, a New Jersey-based company that manufactures microbial oil spill cleanup products, has located its headquarters in Greenville, Mississippi.
oilGoneEasy.com for driveways, concrete, any surface; oil spill blog let's clean up the oil spill now using microbes
jwrbioremediation.com JRW Bioremediation, LLC, in partnership with Archer Daniels Midland Company (NYSE: ADM), announced today that the United States Patent and Trademark Office awarded a patent to the two companies for LactOil™ soy microemulsion. This renewable product enables environmental professionals to cost effectively clean-up soil and groundwater contaminated by chlorinated solvents, metals, nitrates and perchlorates. See press release.*
PermeOx® Plus - engineered calcium peroxide for enhanced aerobic bioremediation, now teaming with researchers to begin bioremediation of the Gulf*
actcleaners.com microbial cleaners
isienvironmental.com oil spill bioremediation
blueingreen.com BlueInGreen®, LLC has received funding through the Rapid Response Program at the National Science Foundation (NSF) to deploy SDOX technology in bays and estuaries that have been contaminated from the Horizon Oil Spill. SDOX will efficiently deliver dissolved oxygen to targeted locations in the Gulf and will provide microbes with the oxygen required to rapidly break down hydrocarbons.
cleanbeachtechnologies.com separates oil from sand
biosanitizer.org BioSanitizer Ecochips trigger ecoremediation, works on oil spills on land or at sea.
OilZapper Energy and environment think-tank The Energy and Research Institute (TERI) holds the patent for Oilzapper, a bio-friendly bacteria developed to reclaim agricultural land polluted by crude oil and other contaminants. Oilzapper powder is sprayed on an oil pool or contaminated soil and the bacteria "eat" all the contamination within three to four months.
lonestarchemicals.com specialty chemicals, including microbial cleaners
biograssExtra.com natural process to remove oil spills from beaches and water. (Biograssextra on Youtube: 1, 2, 3 birds/animals, 4 en espanol; many more)
Nualgi blog * Nualgi.com website developing diatoms as nutrition for algae to restore ecological balance and oxygen levels.
Great Green Solutions bioremediation products, including enzymes
bioremdiationinc.com HAZMAT response, site cleanup, water, soil, etc. - answers for Gulf clean-up
AAA Construction & Development ethical site clean-up "We have the solution to the BP oil spillage problem in the Gulf of Mexico." - Paul Chehade, company president (log onto main page, but turn down your volume settings - click here)
Recon construction site bioremediation (hit your volume button for this one too, although it is just a short dramatic flourish)
Intellishare Environmental bioremediation products
remedialtech.com groundwater and soil consultant
OspreyBiotechnics.com Innovative Microbials - water, soil, groundwater, consumer products, industry - striking a deal to have their products used in the Gulf clean-up
spillfighters.org oil spill clean-up using bioremediation
CMS H2O Systems International, Inc. bioremediation products for oil spills, like in the Gulf
Enviro Tech International, Inc. green cleaning products, including for the Gulf
ensolve.com oil spill clean-up products for the gulf
evolugate.com leading provider of microbes for biofuel and bioremediation
TestTeam.org soil contamination bioremediation
Bac-Out Bac-Out live enzyme household cleaners from Biokleen (available at Whole Foods, Sunflower Market, etc.)
Bob's Aqua Care biological pond supplements, this site is offline, but see interview below*
Nutrafin makers of Cycle biological aquarium supplement, available through all pet stores
Nature's Miracle biological pet stain and odor remover (available through all pet stores)
Roebic Laboratories, Inc. bacillus bacteria products for septic tanks, agricultural, and other uses (available through most hardware stores)
oasis-renew.com bioremediation products for soil, farming, gardening
organicareusa.com organic gardening products that use probiotics.
bioworldusa.com progressive products for improving soils and crops, and solving numerous environmental problems. The company began by developing its flagship product MultiFIX™ Soil and Crop Enhancer. MultiFIX™ provides the proper compounds and substrates required by soil microbes and plants to grow the highest quality crops with better taste and greater nutrient value
earth-energysolutions.com bioremediation products to unclog grease traps
Mosquito Dunks - organic tablets of Bacillius Thuringiensis Israelensis (BTI), microbes that eat mosquito larvae, used in ponds and water gardens, available at Lowes, Ace, Home Depot, etc., and on the Internet. See btimosquitodunks.com * arbico-organics.com * biconet.com
evoraplus.com Evora Plus probiotic mints for humans - whitens teeth, improves breath, and gum health.
Microbe supplement for pets Teddys Pride and other probiotic health for dogs, cats, and other animals - whitens teeth, improves breath, etc., just put a scoop on pet's food.
drbenkim.com Super Green food for vitamins, minerals, and super probiotics. Mix with water and drink. (Editor's Note: this is the one I use to restore hair growth - the good bacteria eats bad bacteria on the scalp, allowing hair to grow back where it is thinning. This is not advertised, but is one of the benefits of this product.)
vibranthealth.us probiotic green drinks and other organic health products.
Seaweed toothpaste - adding enzymes from seaweed microbes to toothpaste could provide better protection against tooth decay, scientists believe. Editor's note: good idea, and another of the multi-uses of Dr. Ben Kim's greens.
Fruit Enzyme Scrub by MyChelle Dermaceuticals, exfoliant with enzymes to remove dead skin cells and blackheads.
High Country Kombucha organic fermented drink made with beneficial flora for the digestive system. This is the only commercially available kombucha that contains the full spectrum of probiotics available from the kombucha mushroom. Their brochure lists probiotic content: gluconacetobacter obediens, dekkera anomala, dekkera bruxellensis, z. kombuchaensis. It contains enzymes, antioxidants and polyphenols.
Note from the webmaster: This section of the blog lists products I have tried, read about, or heard about through my Google Alerts. Microbes are useful for home and garden, health care, and industrial clean-up. The list includes EPA approved bioremediation products and consulting companies that design plans for large scale remediation projects.
My criteria for listing bioremediation products:
* Made from plant-based materials; free from petro-chemicals, other toxins.
* The products are easy to manufacture—aim toward bioremediation materials that anybody could grow in their own pond, or compost for themselves in their garden.
* The less processing the better, for example I found companies that simply put hay* in the water to remove oil. NASA discovered a bioremediation process using only beeswax, called microencapsulation*. The simpler the technology, the better, for this blog.
* The products are economical—our ecosystem needs all the help we can give it, not all the profits we can get for ourselves or the aristocratic class. Friendly microbes are destined to become the easiest thing to obtain in the world.
Other categories of interest:
Microbes that break down plastic trash
Phytoremediation (plants)
Mycoremediation (fungus, mushrooms)
Microbes that absorb nuclear waste
Diatoms - food for algae
Please add to our link collection: this page is a growing list of bioremediation companies, therefore please send in a link to your company or favorite product if you want it listed here. Please be sure it meets the requirements. Also, if you want to buy a product, please do your own due diligence. I make this blog as accurate as possible, but it is possible some petro or GMO products may slip in on occasion. If you find any bad products, broken links, or errors in the blog, please send them in. If you offer grants for study in this field please contact me. If you want anything posted, please send it in. Go to contact page.
Let your pocketbook vote for probiotics over petroleum in your own home!
Click the shop door to go into the shop . . .
Microbes that break down plastic trash
An easy way to discover microbes that break down plastic is to find plastic that is breaking down, analyze it, and find out what microbes are doing the work. A good place to find disintegrating plastic is in your kitchen sink. Probably one out of ten houses has a splash guard in the late stages of breaking down. So if you are a scientist who wants to learn how to disintegrate plastic using microbes, go cut the disgusting black plastic splash guard out of someone's sink and put it under a microscope! (I discovered this last night when I was scraping out what remained of my old splash guard.)
L.A. Times: Scientists find microbes thriving on plastic marine debris. "Plastisphere, a biological wilderness on microbial reefs of polyethylene and polypropylene in the open ocean teeming with single-celled animals, fungi and bacteria, many of them newly discovered. Some may be pathogens hitching rides on floating junk." . . . " 'We were surprised to find microbes in such high numbers on these plastics,' said Tracy Mincer, an associate scientist in marine chemistry and geochemistry at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and coauthor of a report on the findings published online in June in Environmental Science and Technology." "These unique menageries, which arose on plastic debris introduced to the world's ocean over the last six decades, make up extensive food chains of bacteria and single-celled animals that produce their own food, bacteria that feed on their waste products and predators that feed on all of them." "Another surprise: Some microbes seem to have acquired a taste for polypropylene. Others, however, prefer polyethylene." " led by microbial ecologist Erik Zettler of the Sea Education Assn., biologist Linda Amaral-Zettler of the Marine Biological Laboratory, and Mincer—all in Woods Hole, Mass."
Plastic eating microbes news Welcome To The Plastisphere: The New World Of Microbes Living On Ocean Plastic | Co.Exist: World changing ideas and innovation
More ocean garbage news Microbes make cozy homes in ocean's garbage - NBC News.com
wasterecyclingnews.com Yale undergraduates, including Pria Anand, have discovered organisms in Amazon Rainforest fungi which can degrade polyurethanes. The discovery, which is featured in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology, may lead to innovative ways to reduce waste in the world's landfills, the university said in a press release. Another article about this discovery - click here. See also: physorg.com
See also: Yale Alumni Magazine. more about P. microspora, a mold of the Ascomycota phylum family, found during Prof. Scott Strobel's annual Yale Rainforest Expedition and Laboratory course in the Yasuni National Forest in 2008. The fungi that eat polyurethane come from the guava tree (Psidium guajava) and the custard apple tree (Annona muricata). update on Yale students
See also: Plastic eating fungus
bbc.co.uk "At the UK's University of Sheffield, scientists are investigating how they could accelerate the speed at which the plastic breaks down by looking at micro-organisms already found in the sea that naturally feed on plastic.
Nature.com reports that microbes are eating plastic in the ocean. The article reports: "Plastic-eating bacteria might help explain why the amount of debris in the ocean has levelled off, despite continued pollution."
Plants (phytoremediation) and Fungi (mycoremediation or mycroremediation)
Links, news, and research on the role of plants and fungi. This is related to microbial remediation, because it is natural, and the bottom line is the action of enzymes in nature.
hemp phytoremediation in the aftermath of wild land fires in Colorado, researchers ask if hemp could be used to stabilize soil in burned out areas to reduce erosion
Video - how to farm mushrooms for Slow Food, medicine, bioremediation
Mycoremediation for the toxin sarin science is finding ways to rid isopropyl methylphosphonofluoridate toxin (sarin) using fungus.
Phytoremediation creates useful metallic nanoparticles Plants such as alyssum, pteridaceae and a type of mustard called sinapi are to be used by a team of British scientists to soak up metals from land previously occupied by factories, mines and landfill sites. The team, from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, and the Universities of Warwick and Birmingham, Newcastle University and Cranfield University, England, will use a natural process known as phytoremediation to extract metals such as arsenic and platinum, which can lurk in the ground and can cause harm to people and animals.
Mycoremediation and Mycorestoration: Fungal Ecology Contributes to Estuarine Restoration, by Rachel Benbrook Restoration Ecologist
Application of hairy roots for phytoremediation abstract: In recent years, hairy roots (HRs) have been successfully used as research tools for screening the potentialities of different plant species to tolerate, accumulate, and/or remove environmental pollutants, such as PCBs, TNT, pharmaceuticals, textile dyes, phenolics, heavy metals, and radionuclides.
Phytoremediation: Marsh Plants that Clean Grey Water
What is the fate of plants used in phytoremediation? (answer is to use them for fuel for burning)
onlinelibrary Water phytoremediation of cadmium and copper using Azolla filiculoides Lam. in a hydroponic system, Aly Valderrama, Jaime Tapia, Patricio Peñailillo, Danny E. Carvajal
StarterPermaculture.com Heal Your Soil and Grow a Huge Garden with Mycoremediation. Mycoremediation is a phrase coined by Paul Stamets. It's a method of using fungi to clean pollution from your soil. The fungus or mycelium is the vegitative part Youtube video
Building materials made with fungus, plant materials Replace toxic particle board, foam board, and other building materials with natural products made with plant by-products and fungus.
heavy metal clean-up "Onion and garlic waste from the food industry could be used to mop up hazardous heavy metals, including arsenic, cadmium, iron, lead, mercury and tin in contaminated materials, according to a research paper published in the International Journal of Environment and Pollution." See also: http://cleantechnica.com
trees treat sewage in Iowa "The day could come when small Iowa towns have their waste water treated in dense groves of poplar trees planted at the base of wind turbines. That's the vision of Louis Licht, the president and founder of North Liberty-based Ecolotree."
phytoremediation of antibiotics left in soil another new area of research using phytoremediation
pre-mediation myco-remediation with fungus - visit FungiForThePeople, one of the great new sites on mycoremediation
Fairy Rings mycoremediation
Mycoremediation Volunteers prepare mycoremediation burritos out of inoculated straw and cardboard. People For Puget Sound is excited to be one of the few restoration organizations applying innovative new techniques of mycoremediation to help address water quality issues. It's especially fascinating as we are also conductingmycorestoration research with Eco-Techs at sites along the Duwamish and Snohomish Rivers, as well as on Maury Island. The focus of these experiments is to improve plant survivability at sites with especially poor soils by the application of mycorrhizal mushrooms, which form a symbiotic relationship with the roots—resulting in a beneficial nutrient exchange and, hopefully, healthier, happier plants. Mycoremediation takes a bit of a different approach, harnessing the ecology of the mushrooms themselves to address contaminated water and sediment. Mushrooms are great decomposers- adapted to digest cellulose and lignin, the main building blocks of plant tissue. These molecules are very similar in structure to the compl
Hemp for bioremediation of soil. Hemp cleared its first hurdle Feb. 13, 2012, see Denver Post.
hemp for phytoremediation a bulletin board discussion discussion about using hemp to help the soil.
Using Fungi to Transform Lead into a Safer Mineral
Book Mycoremediation: Fungal Bioremediation, by Harbhajan Singh, book download
Implementing Phytoremediation of Petroleum Hydrocarbons Chris D. Collins Summary: An evaluation of the current "state of the art" for the phytoremediation of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) is given, which will allow for well-informed decisions to be made when the technology is being applied to this contamination problem. Information is provided on phytotoxicity, plant selection, and management as well as useful supple- mentary practical data sources. A management decision tree is presented to aid in the successful application of phytoremediation to TPH-contaminated sites. Finally, defici- encies in the current knowledge are identified, which need to be addressed to improve the effectiveness of phytoremediation to this problem.
phytoremediation Firm pilots new tech solution to clean lake. A pilot project by Enzen at JP Nagar's Puttenahalli Lake shows phytoremediation process can improves water quality. Enzen plans to scale up to rejuvenate other lakes too.
phytoremediation project outside the small town of Crozet Virginia, EPA uses phytoremediation to remove arsenic contamination from residential property. Phytoremediation uses.
active buffer zones Afforestation and phytoremediation through green buffer zones
Portland, Oregon GreenWorks Associate Jeff Boggess shows constructed wetlands and other remediated wilderness sites in the Willamette Valley Region to the Constructed Wetlands and Poplar Remediation Technical Tour, put on by the International Phytotechnology Society Eighth Annual Conference in Portland, September 2011. Click here for an article by Jeff Boggess. Israel has more trees now than a century ago, due to planning
Afforestation in India - ten year plan (more info.)
China claims afforestation helping with sustainable environment
Australia Research paper on water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms.) to remove Cu, Ni and Zn in aquatic environments.
thehindu.com A new railway would eliminate nearly 500 trees of 30 species; a proposed plan would add a green ribbon of trees along the metro rail track, ten times the number of trees, to compensate.
Phytoremediation of heavy metal contaminated soil using Chromolaena odorata and Lantana camara, by Aziz, Fati
natureaire.com Active Living Wall Biofilters remove Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).
Remediation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in wastewater treatment pond - Altavista, Virginia, town council is considering hybrid poplar trees instead of digging out, or incinerating the PCBs. Plan would save millions of dollars.
Planting for water decontamination "Tolerance of Selected Ornamentals for Phytoremediation of Atrazine, Simazine, and Metalaxyl Residues in Water."
Phytoremediation of Nutrient Contaminants from Golf Courses Surface Water in Malaysia, Drs. S. Zul Hilmi, M.T. Ramlah, K. Dzaraini, and A.R. Norazah
Phytomremediation wall system the Center for Architecture Science and Ecology—a collaboration between Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill—has created a new prototype that would work with a building's existing HVAC system to reduce energy loads and improve indoor air quality. The Active Phytoremediation Wall System is a modular wall system of pods housing hydroponic plants. Because the plants' roots are exposed, instead of being buried in soil, the plants' air-cleaning capacity increases by 200 to 300 percent. Air moves through a perforated air intake duct—a series of mini-jets are being developed to encourage airflow—and directly over the root system. This allows the rhizomes on the roots to essentially digest airborne toxins—VOCs, particulate matter, and other biological and chemical pollutants—without the plant itself becoming toxic (which is what happens when the toxins are taken in solely through the leaves). The cleaned air then flows out of each pod through a series of clean air ducts and is reintroduced to the environment.
Hemp planted to remediate Chernobyl This article explains that the term "phytoremediation" was coined by Dr. Ilya Raskin of Rutgers University's Biotechnology Center for Agriculture and the Environment, who was a member of the original task force sent by the IAEA to examine food safety at the Chernobyl site, where they planted hemp to remove radiation from the environment. Phytoremediation is a process that takes advantage of the fact that green plants can extract and concentrate certain elements within their ecosystem. For example, some plants can grow in metal-laden soils, extract certain metals through their root systems, and accumulate them in their tissues without being damaged. In this way, pollutants are either removed from the soil and groundwater or rendered harmless.
Science Daily A Lithuanian company, Biocentras, together with academic partners from Latvia and Lithuania developed a technique that has so far cleaned over 22,000 tons of soil without the need for potentially harmful chemicals or genetically modified technologies. This natural process transforms contaminated soil so that it can be used again for growing all kinds of plants.
First the good news, seed banks around the world have preserved seeds of species we have already extinguished through our ignorance. There is a plant to remediate every chemical. Some plants may serve multiple purposes. Note that organic cures advocates planting and growing plants where you need to remediate. More land should be returned to nature, including wetlands. The more natural the environment, the fewer toxins can remain. In the future, more links on photoremediation will be added to this category as they come in from Google Alerts.
Conference on the benefits of floating macrophytes held in Pakistan
Floating macrophytes are shown to remediate toxic chemicals from waterways. Solution: research and grow floating macrophytes, introduce them into the environment where they will benefit affected wetlands, and watch the bioremediation begin. University of Iowa Environmental Science Professor William Crumpton says his research focuses on "wetland processes and functions in agricultural landscapes, including the dynamics of energy flow and nutrient transformation in wetlands."
Wageningen University Healing Urban Landscapes. Phytoremediation in post-industrial urban design.
Phytoremediation Benefits of 86 Indoor Plants Published Scientists tested 86 species of plants at removing formaldehyde, exposing the plants to gaseous formaldehyde in airtight chambers constructed of inert materials and measuring the rate of removal. Osmunda japonica (Japanese royal fern), Selaginella tamariscina (Spikemoss), Davallia mariesii (Hare's-foot fern), Polypodium formosanum, Psidium guajava (Guava), Lavandula (Sweet Lavender), Pteris dispar, Pteris multifida (Spider fern), and Pelargonium (Geranium) were the most effective species tested. Ferns had the highest formaldehyde removal efficiency of the five classes of plants tested, with Osmunda japonica determined to be most effective of all 86 species. The complete study and abstract are available on the ASHS HortScience electronic journal web site - click here.
phytoremediation for radiation
phytoremediation of heavy metals.
phytoremediation explained
The International Journal of Phytoremediation is the first journal devoted to the publication of current laboratory and field research describing the use of plant systems to remediate contaminated environments.
Microbes that absorb nuclear waste
Microbe Radiation Eaters Overview" Not so long ago, everyone believed that the primary source of energy for all life was sunlight. Even for ...
Bacteria, Iron Cooperate to Clean Uranium from Water Since 2009, SLAC scientist John Bargar has led a team using synchrotron-based X-ray techniques to study bacteria that help clean uranium from groundwater in a process called bioremediation. . . . The bacteria make their own, even tinier allies - nanoparticles of a common mineral called iron sulfide. Then, working together, the bacteria and the iron sulfide grab molecules of a highly soluble form of uranium known as U(VI), or hexavalent uranium, and transform them into U(IV), a less-soluble form that's much less likely to spread through the water table.
Bioremediation of uranium-contaminated groundwater: a systems approach to subsurface biogeochemistry.
Williams KH, Bargar JR, Lloyd JR, Lovley DR.
Earth Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
Abstract
Adding organic electron donors to stimulate microbial reduction of highly soluble U(VI) to less soluble U(IV) is a promising strategy for immobilizing uranium in contaminated subsurface environments. Studies suggest that diagnosing the in situ physiological status of the subsurface community during uranium bioremediation with environmental transcriptomic and proteomic techniques can identify factors potentially limiting U(VI) reduction activity. Models which couple genome-scale in silico representations of the metabolism of key microbial populations with geochemical and hydrological models may be able to predict the outcome of bioremediation strategies and aid in the development of new approaches. Concerns remain about the long-term stability of sequestered U(IV) minerals and the release of co-contaminants associated with Fe(III) oxides, which might be overcome through targeted delivery of electrons to select microorganisms using in situ electrodes.
mycelium concentrate radioactive waste "It has been found that various species of mushrooms can thrive and breakdown radioactive waste such as that found in Japan currently. Gomphidius glutinosus can break down radioactive cesium. In terms of volume of soil remediated the mushroom mycelium concentrate the radioactive substance and it is placed in the fruiting body of the basidiocarp. The radioactive waste is still in it's energetic form, just concentrated somewhere else. If there is a need to gather the radioactive waste it is just a matter of gathering the fruiting bodies of the mushrooms. In this manner Oyseter mushrooms can clean up oil spills in the soil quite easily." - Stamets, Paul. Mycelium Running. Berkeley: Ten Speed Press, 2005.
In 1998, Phytotech, along with Consolidated Growers and Processors (CGP) and the Ukraine's Institute of Bast Crops, planted industrial hemp, Cannabis sp., for the purpose of removing contaminants near the Chernobyl site.
Distillery sludge used to treat radioactive sites
spider webs nuclear waste site shows signs of life—researchers believe radiation-resistant spiders and microbes help clean up nuclear waste
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) "Critical genetic secrets of a bacterium that holds potential for removing toxic and radioactive waste from the environment have been revealed in a study by researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab)."
microbes clean up uranium from groundwater G. sulfurreducens, a species of Geobacter bacteria, has an extraordinary ability to remove uranium from contaminated groundwater. Researchers have been trying to find out how the process works. They suspected that hair-like filaments called pili produced by G. sulfurreducens in certain environments might be the answer.
Scientific American Mechanism by which microbes scrub radioactive contamination revealed
Researchers prove that exposure to radiation changes the microbe signature It follows that restoring a healthy microbe signature in the body could cure radiation sickness.
Discover Magazine Bacteria use electric wires to shock uranium out of groundwater
Cellular Systems for Diverse National Needs (Shewanella) Shewanella oneidensis cells can reduce uranium and metals in contaminated environments. Guided by the biological information encoded within genome sequences, we can begin to identify, understand, re-engineer, and harness specific cellular systems for energy production, environmental remediation, and other national needs.
BBC Science News Geobacter bacteria 'nano-wires' clean up uranium contamination.
The Hindu Michigan State University have unravelled the mystery of how microbes generate electricity while cleaning up nuclear waste and other toxic metals. Details of the process, which can be improved and patented, are published in the current issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. cbsnews.com Gaetan Borgonie, a nematode specialist from Belgium, discovered radiation eating microbes in the rock walls of a South African mine.
The Scientist The bacterium Geobacter sulfurreducens lives by reducing metals, such as radioactive uranium, rendering them much less soluble and thus less of a threat to the environment. New research published yesterday (September 5) in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences points to how they do it.
microbes that generate electricity while cleaning nuclear waste A team of researchers at Michigan State University has come up with the answer to how the mcrobes generate electricity while cleaning up nuclear waste. The team is led by Gemma Reguera, an MSU microbiologist.
Possible breakthrough in Japan [click the link to watch video] Scientists in Japan think they may have found a way to remove caesium radiation from contaminated ground around the Fukushima nuclear plant damaged in the earthquake in March. It involves using microbes to attracts particles from the metal caesium in soil and water. So far results have been very encouraging and the scientists are keen to test the procedure on the ground as soon as possible.
Hemp planted to remediate Chernobyl This article reveals the role of hemp in removing radiation from Chernobyl.
Cladosporium sphaerospermum - fungi that thrives on radiation. "Researchers from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, believe that the black fungus converts ionising radiation into usable energy, just as green plants convert sunlight. It appears that C. sphaerospermum copes with the DNA-damaging effects of radiation by having multiple copies of the same chromosome in every cell. This fungus is happy living even in the heart of the Chernobyl reactor, where it was discovered in 1999."
sunflowers remediate radioactive waste as noted above, the sunflowers will absorb the radioactive waste, then will have to be disposed of as contaminated trash. But what better way to get the radioactive waste out of the environment?
phytoremediation for radiation
Uranium bioremediation in continuously fed upflow sand columns inoculated with anaerobic granules: read abstract and supporting information.
UC Berkeley scientists point out that people's lawns are phyto-remediating the nuclear fallout from Japan.
microbes that eat radiation discovered in gold mine in South Africa.
The Solution That Might Save Japan and the World From Radiation These microbes are called extremophiles and they have been known about since 1956. They can withstand radiation 15 times what would kill humans and they actually seek out and eat uranium and plutonium transforming them into far less dangerous substances.
Algae may help clean up nuclear waste Scientists at Northwestern University and Argonne National Laboratory have studied the way that bright green algae Closterium moniliferum found in fresh water ponds, soak up strontium and sequesters it. By using synchrotron X-ray microscopy available at the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory, the researchers were able to map out how green algae absorbs the strontium as well as study how other minerals like barium and calcium affect the process.
Scientists identify algae for nuclear cleanup
Addressing the nuclear waste issue Pond alga could help scientists design effective method for cleaning up nuclear waste.
National Science Foundation: scientists discover bacteria that eat the by-products of radioactivity.
Bioremediation of Radioactive Waste One technology that holds promise for eventually reducing the toxicity and amount of radioactive waste is bioremediation, using live bacteria. This technology makes use of the ability of live cells or enzymes to clean and reduce the volume of waste.
Editor's Note: we have added this category to respond to the ongoing nuclear crisis in Japan. Our lesson from this is that strains of microbes "eat" nuclear waste, the same way nature eventually dispenses with nuclear waste. Therefore, we now have a Google Alert for the keywords "nuclear bioremediation," and will bring you developments in this field.
We urge officials in Japan to use natural means to enhance the bioremediation process. The future of friendly bacteria is bright. Find them, breed them, love them - and they will love you back. Start with green microorganisms, such as chlorella, spirulina, cilantro, and medicinal mushrooms.
Everyone else: pray that our prayers will help the natural process of nature take place, including a change of thinking in the human race. If we change our story about nature, we will treat it differently. Instead of regarding our planet as a thing to exploit for money, we could see it as a sacred debt. Humankind has taken a toll on the earth, especially in the last hundred years, and it is up to us to reverse that trend and remediate the damage.
Antarctic microbe discoveries Nature News, April 4, 2011, reports:
"Another strange discovery is a previously unknown Deinococcus—a group of bacteria known as the world's toughest—capable of tolerating γ-ray exposures 5,000 times greater than those survived by any other known organism, despite living 15 metres beneath the permafrost. These levels of radiation have never existed on Earth, so the source of the bacterium's resistance is a mystery. Theories put forth so far include that the microbe had an extraterrestrial origin. Blamey says that at this point, no theory has been discarded."
DIATOMS
Will increasing the diatom biomass of the world solve the problem of air and water pollution?
Nualgi.com inventors explain that "Growing Algae has the property to absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen due to photosynthesis." They are working on Nualgi, which is an acronym for NUtrition for ALGae. It is remarkably adaptable and non-demanding. It can grow in fresh water, salt water, sewage, effluent, or anywhere. The diatom algae soon turns into zooplankton - fish food.
Microbes need oxygen and may cause depletion of oxygen in the water, leading to new problems. Nualgi solves this problem.
Bhaskar, of Kadambari Consultants Pvt. Ltd., challenges the science world with the question: "Will increasing the diatom biomass of the world solve the problem of air and water pollution?" He believes it will. [Editor's Note: This is a new technology that this website endorses. Enlightened people in the scientific community will look to natural processes like photosynthesis to cure the earth's environmental problems.] Go to the Nualgi blog - click here. Go to the Nualgi.com website - click here.
Further information about the work of Kadambari Consultants:
Nualgi only contains silica and micro nutrients, there is no algae spores or organic matter in it.
It causes a bloom of diatoms that are naturally present in all water bodies.
That is why it can be used in all types of water, anywhere in the world.
There is no danger of introduction of foreign species.
Diatom algae are the best group of algae / phytoplankton.
They are responsible for about 25% of the oxygen in the atmosphere and 50% of the food in the oceans.
Diatoms are food for vertebrate fish and other algae such as Dinoflagellates (Red Tides) food for Jelly Fish.
Mammals may have evolved due to diatoms, diatoms are at the bottom of the food chain of whales.
To learn more, go to YouTube and use the keyword "nualgi."
The microbes used in bioremediation require oxygen, diatoms can provide that oxygen.
So microbes will work well and the CO2 they emit will be consumed by Diatoms.
Microbes and Gulf currents remove oil plumes this article in the online Wall Street Journal explains how the microbes and Gulf currents acted like a washing machine to remove oil spill.
A growing list of research programs and bioremediation studies:
Researchers convince microbes to work together to make biofuel from corn stalks
Diverse Gut Microbes, A Trim Waistline And Health Go Together Health News, NPR
Staying Healthy Takes Guts Full of Microbes: Scientific American Podcast
New report suggests microbes are key to feeding the world
Microbes as personal as a fingerprint
North Carolina Enviro-Equipment CleanInject Remediation System also see: Digital Journal
TRC, SMDA & AEW Win Environmental Award for Innovative Program at Michigan Landfills
A growing list of permaculture projects worldwide
Water phytoremediation of cadmium and copper using Azolla filiculoides Lam. in a hydroponic system
"Soil in the City" Series: Remediating Arsenic in the Santa Fe Right of Way, 9/12/13
In-situ bioremediation for treatment of sewage flowing in natural drains
Youtube: Bioremediation of hydrocarbon contaminated soil
Pioneering discoveries in the field of biochemical science including research on the deterioration of Scott and Shackleton's Antarctic expedition huts has seen the University of Waikato award the title of Emeritus Professor to Professor Roberta Farrell.
Eco Preservation Bioremediation Bioremediation of a contaminated site typically works in one of two ways. In the case described above, ways are found to enhance the growth of whatever pollution-eating microbes might already be living at the contaminated site. In the second, less common case, specialized microbes are added to degrade the contaminants.
Microbial assisted phytoremediation of chlorinated pesticides in a warming climate: Challenges and perspectives
DryLet to Attend UpTech Upstream Oil and Gas Summit on October 6-8, 2013 in Alberta to Showcase MB Bioremediation
As architects delve further into sustainable design methods, the use of plants to remediate contaminated urban landscapes is growing.
scientificamerican.com: Microbes Help Grow Better Crops [Preview] - Enlisting bacteria and fungi from the soil to support crop plants is a promising alternative to the heavy use of fertilizer and pesticides, By Richard Conniff. This study and the issue of Richard Conniff's agribiome theory also covered in calacademy.org.
microbes in your garden and the new theory of no-till gardening.
New Frontiers in Bioremediation, Elizabeth Edwards, professor, Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto.
Microbes: Invisible Invaders Amazing Allies educational video about bioremediation.
Bioremediation Webinar begins now, log on to eosremediation.com.
cleantechnica.com National University of Singapore (NUS) has developed an innovative way to purify water, based on apple peels. A study published in the American Chemical Society's journal Applied Materials & Interfaces, explains how the NUS team added zirconium oxides to the apple peels and found that they removed negatively charged pollutants in water, including phosphate, aresenate, arsenite, and chromate ions.
Railway clean-up, Laramie River The 1.5-mile Laramie River Greenbelt Trail Southern Loop was declared an Environmental Protection Agency Superfund site due to a century of chemical treatments of the railway ties. Now the clean-up depends on the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, and Parks and Recreation Director Paul Harrison, who explained the process of planting eight thousand trees to clean the soil and water. The bioremediation is expected to take twenty years.
Large scale phytoremediation project, Berkeley To reclaim an abandoned railway right of way contaminated with arsenic, they will plant 2, 000 Chinese brake ferns (Pteris vittata). These have the potential to absorb arsenic from the soil and store it in the fronds. They are following EPA protocols and will submit detailed results of their study. Anders Olsen manages the project under Celline Pallud, Assistant Professor, UC Berkeley Department of Environmental Services. Funded with an academic grant. They plan to chop down all the ferns and test them, but why not leave a few ferns around in each area, and test them over time. Maybe they can remediate the arsenic over time. Maybe when the fronds fall off, the microbial life gobbles up the final bits of arsenic. Basically, what you have there is a microbe that eats arsenic. Why cut down all the ferns and clog up the hazardous waste sites?
doaj.org Directory of Open Access Journals - put keywords phytoremediation, bioremediation, mycorremediation in the site's search window and find great academic studies. These are free, you click on the study, and you get it. You do not go to a sign up and pay page. Removing Heavy Metals from soil through bioremediation (using saccharomyces cerevisiae).
Class activities material for a science class on bioremediation.
Forest could treat sewage A Sturgeon County forester hopes local governments will support his plan for a new RV park near Namao - one that will use trees to treat sewage.
Postdoctoral Position in Bioencapsulation and Bioremediation University of Minnesota, Biostabilization Laboratory, Mechanical Engineering Department
Bioremediation study Environmental BioTechnologies, Inc. (EBT), in a project sponsored by the Ford Motor Land Development Company, conducted a bench-scale landfarming bioremediation study on a diesel and kerosene contaminated soil.
Battelle Bioremediation Conference coverage Review of the International Battelle Bioremediation and Sustainable Environmental Technologies Conference in Jacksonville, Fla., June 10-13, 2013.
Petro toxin bioremediation study The focus of this study was to investigate the effect of nutrient supplement (urea fertilizer) and microbial species augmentation (mixed culture of Aeromonas, Micrococcus, and Serratia sp.) on biodegradation of lubricating motor oil (LMO) and lead uptake by the autochthonous microorganism in LMO and lead-impacted soil were investigated.
heavy metal bioremediation study Mycoremediation of Benzo[a]pyrene by Pleurotus ostreatus in the presence of heavy metals and mediators. Benzo[a]pyrene is considered as a priority pollutant because of its carcinogenic, teratogenic and mutagenic effects.
phytoremediation of fly ash site Suitability of Ricinus communis L. cultivation for phytoremediation of fly ash disposal sites.
Kentucky use of bioremediation in waste stations Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection uses bioremediation to keep their lift station pumps clean, and thus "eliminate routine cleaning."
hemp plant heavy metal uptake The researchers at hempcleans.com plan to study the hemp plant's heavy metal uptake from soil.
Earth Repair: A Grassroots Guide to Healing Toxic and Damaged Landscapes, by Leila Darwish
(Kindle edition - click here.)
See the book at the author's website, click here.
Related article in Utne Reader online - click here.
The Rhizome Collective encourages urban gardeners to use bioremediation on contaminated soils, and asks why it is not already more popular.
Editor's note: we wonder the same, but the word is spreading fast.bioremediation study to remove phosphorus and nitrogen in urban lakes Tamil Nadu to implement bioremediation to reduce phosphorus and nitrogen in urban lakes overtaken with invasive plants.
book download Phytoremediation is the use of green plants and their associated microbiota, soil amendments, and agronomic techniques to remove, contain, or render harmless environmental contaminants. Free book download, but you have to install their software, "Genio," to do the download. Not completely sure what that is or if it is safe.
book download Microbial Bioremediation of Non-metals: Current Research ebook Free book download, but you need to open an account at downloadprovider.me
book download Fungi in Bioremediation Free book download, but you need to open an account at downloadprovider.me
DuPont to try bioremediation in New Jersey DuPont will test lactate (lactic acid), a natural chemical compound produced by microorganisms that can be found in sour milk products to remediate a toxic plume containing the chlorinated solvents trichloroethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethene (PCE)
free online bioremediation webinar The Basics of Anaerobic Bioremediation by FMC.
Aquatic Phytoremediation Flocking, by Elizabeth Hwangbo Mississippi River contamination dead zone detectors. "When increased chemical concentrations are detected, fins are triggered to expand slowing their speed causing the units to aggregate in an interlocking grid to cleanse the area. The fins push units apart from one another when chemical concentrations are lowered; they disperse and continue to float until another contaminated area is detected."
Plant Adaptation and Phytoremediation ebook, a free ebook, by M. Ashraf, M. Ozturk, M. S. A. Ahmad.
Mycopermaculture and Mycoremediation Conference, Where: The Quaker Center outside of Santa Cruz, California, When: June 15th-25th 2013, topics: Fungal Biology, Mycopermaculture, Mycomimicry, Mushroom Identification, Mushroom cultivation methods, Remediating toxins with fungi and bacteria, Cleaning up oil spills in the Amazon, How to have successful organizations and mushroom projects.
Plant and fungi use in Bioremediation In 1975, a military jet leaked over 80,000 gallons of kerosene based jet-fuel into a lake in the suburbs of Charleston, SC. Many people tried to manage the oil spill but it was to no avail. It was almost impossible to stop all of the fuel from being soaked up by the very permeable sandy soil and reaching the ground water. Soon all of the ground water became contaminated and had many toxic chemicals in it. The ground water then began to reach all of the residential area and everyone in the surrounding area knew they were faced with a serious environmental hazard. It was almost impossible to remove all of the contaminated soil and ground water so the only other option was to introduce microorganisms and fungi that could consume all of the toxic chemicals and turn them into harmless carbon dioxide. Because of this introduction of the microorganisms it allowed for any further contamination to come to a complete halt. It even helped to remove 75% of the pollutants that harmed the soil and ground water.
Mycoremediation: Fungal Bioremediation, by Harbhajan Singh - download the book now
Basic bioremediation primer by Sophia Aliotta and Josh Colley at Geoengineer.org
Conference proceedings: Phytotechnologies - Preventing Exposures, Improving Public Health International Journal of Phytoremediation, Volume 15, Issue 9, 2013, The 8th International Phytotechnology Conference-Portland, Oregon 2011. Abstract: Phytotechnologies have potential to reduce the amount or toxicity of deleterious chemicals and agents, and thereby, can reduce human exposures to hazardous substances. As such, phytotechnologies are tools for primary prevention in public health. Recent research demonstrates phytotechnologies can be uniquely tailored for effective exposure prevention in a variety of applications. In addition to exposure prevention, plants can be used as sensors to identify environmental contamination and potential exposures.
Same conference Journal, another article: Field Note: Phytoremediation of Petroleum Sludge Contaminated Field Using Sedge Species, Cyperus Rotundus (Linn.) and Cyperus Brevifolius (Rottb.) Hassk Abstract: The aim of this study was to degrade total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) in a petroleum sludge contaminated site (initial TPH concentration of 65,000-75,000 mg.kg-1) with two native sedge species namely Cyperus rotundus (Linn.) and Cyperus brevifolius (Rottb.) Hassk. Students Study Bioremediation for Cleaner Wetlands Environmental Chemistry students traveled with Professor Tina Ross to a Superfund site in New Castle County Delaware
Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology Bioremediation of nitrate-polluted groundwater in a microbial fuel cell by Narcis Pous, Sebastia Puig, Marta Coma, Maria D. Balaguer, Jesus Colprim
Bio International Convention April 2013, Chicago
halliburton.com on bioremediation of frac water
Bioremediation of Hydraulic Fracturing Wastewaters by Lawrence P. Wackett and Alptekin Aksan. From abstract: ". . . biotechnology can play a role in mitigating against the negative impacts of hydraulic fracturing by removing the contaminants in water that derive from fracturing operations."
Plant enzyme-mediated phytoremediation of organic groundwater contaminants, a paper on remediation technologies by George E. Boyajian, Ph.D.
RemTEC Summit March 4-6, 2013, Westminster, Colorado—"Delivering The Latest, Cutting-Edge Developments Within The Environmental Science And Remediation Field." Editor's Note: this is a conventional remediation conference, but includes a heading for "Sustainability Considerations and Green Remediation" and other subjects that look organic and natural.
PollutionEngineering.com "Pollution Engineering is news and information for senior executives and engineers involved in their company's Pollution Control." Editor's Note: connected with the RemTec Summit, again, this link appears to be mostly conventional means but some opening for green technologies like we promote at this blog. Worth checking out.
phytoremediation A team of researchers led by the University of Warwick are about to embark on a research program called "Cleaning Land for Wealth" (CL4W), that will use a common class of flower to restore poisoned soils while at the same time produce platinum and arsenic nanoparticles that can be used in a range of applications.
Bioremediation of fractured bedrock
Enzymes clear up old documents Read the research study: "Enzymatic bioremediation of cultural heritage materials stained with organic pigments."
PhD Student Position in Bioremediation Study in Germany 2013
Bioremediation of Toxic Metals Using Worms: Earthworms Soak Up Heavy Metal Swati Pattnaik and M. Vikram Reddy of the Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, at Pondicherry University, in Puducherry, India, explain how three species of earthworm, Eudrilus eugeniae, Eisenia fetida and Perionyx excavates can be used to assist in the composting of urban waste and to extract heavy metals, cadmium, copper, lead, manganese, zinc, prior to subsequent processing.
bioremediation can repair the damage done by mining Biogeochemist Dr John Moreau and botanist Dr Augustine Doronila discuss how contaminated mining sites can be rehabilitated with the help of a biological approach using plants and bacteria. Presented by Dr Shane Huntington.
oil sludge treatment Compost bioremediation of oil sludge by using different manures under laboratory conditions
International Bioremediation and Sustainable Environmental Technologies Symposium June 10-13, 2013
landfill toxins can bacteria neutralize these
Bioremediation explained
Yellow Springs, Ohio using a vegetable oil-based bioremediation product to help the naturally occurring microbes in the soil to metabolize the contaminants industrial solvents 1,1,1-trichloroethane, 1,1-dichloroethene, carbon tetrachloride, and chloroform
Researcher identifies petroleum eating mushrooms Mohamed Hijri, a professor of biological sciences and researcher at the University of Montreal's Institut de recherche en biologie végétale (IRBV).
Master's thesis Spirulina as a bioremediation agent : interaction with metals and involvement of carbonic anhydrase Payne, Rosemary Anne (2000), Rhodes University
Bioremediation of
Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Cold Regions,
Edited by: Dennis M. Filler, University of Alaska, Fairbanks,
Ian Snape, Australian Antarctic Division, Tasmania, and
David L. Barnes, University of Alaska, Fairbanks.
chicken feather disposal biotechnology department of Kolhapur's Shivaji University identifying a new microorganism that disintegrates feathers within 30 hours. The scientists named it Chryseobacterium and registered it with the International Database Bank in the U.S. Chicken feathers are a disposal problem in factory farms. The feathers contain keratin that makes them last five to seven years. Feathers cannot be incinerated because burning them releases sulphur.
Microbes and mosquitoes - researchers looking for microbes that deter malaria-transmitting Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes.
Snook Foundation of Florida dedicated to improving the water quality in local wetlands with cutting edge, natural, organic technology. They are currently testing diatoms, see article below - click here.
5th International Symposium on Biosorption and Bioremediation will be held in Prague, June 24 - 28, 2012 in cooperation with FEMS, EFB, ESEB and ISEB.
geoscienceworld.org overview of bioremediation
Deccan Chronicle Sivashkthi Velan, a mechanical engineer at Milam Engineering College in India, invented a way to increase oxygen in the atmosphere, while reducing sulphur, carbon, and nitrogen.
Alameda (Bay Area, California) clean-up news "Cleanup efforts have shifted from chemical applications to bioremediation, where bacteria naturally break down the chemical contaminants over time."
Berkeley.edu Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Ongoing Research Projects: Meta-omics of Microbial Communities Involved in Bioremediation, by Professor Lisa Alvarez-Cohen. "This research seeks to advance our fundamental understanding of microbial communities that are capable of bioremediating environmental contaminants. We will apply systems biology approaches to study biodegradation abilities and interactions within microbial communities that remediate two water contaminants, trichloroethene (TCE) and 1,4-dioxane (dioxane), both of which are common problems at Superfund sites."
NewScientist.com Thawing microbes could control the climate: As the Arctic permafrost melts over the coming decades, long-frozen microorganisms will thaw out and start feasting on the soil. livescience.com
Rochester, New York Bioremediation of a BTEX and Solvent Plume at a Municipal Redevelopment Site (results)
Phytoremediation of lead in urban polluted soils in the north of Iran, Seyed Armin Hashemi, Department of Forestry, Lahijan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Lahijan, Iran.
Microbes/disease/antibiotic resistance "One of the many reasons for the lack of progress in dealing with the phenomenon of 'resistance' seems to be the flawed 'war metaphor' which reflects the dominant paradigm shaping our relationship to the microbial world. Experience in tackling infectious diseases is showing that antibiotics are no longer the 'magic bullets' they were once conceived to be while bacteria are also not the 'enemy' to be eliminated through any means whatsoever. We need accurate knowledge of and actions to prevent and treat the relatively few pathogenic threats rather than a general fear of all microbes. Chief among the insights that new research in microbiology is providing is the extent to which human life is closely intertwined with that of the microbial world." See also, Dr. Mary Murray, ReAct Global Network Coordinator, reimagining our relationship with microbes.
Phytomremediation research Engineering plant functions to remove contaminants-of-concern (COC) from contaminated water. Hypothesis: Can rooted soil (rhizosphere) safely remove soluble contaminants-of-concern (COC) from sewer plant outflow?
Institute of Technology, Australia PDF abstract of Application of phytoremediation technologies in Canada, by Prof. Jim Germida, University of Saskatchewan, Canada.
Colorado State University Summary of bioremediation research by Diana Wall, biologist of CSU College of Natural Science
Study shows BP dispersants carcinogenic It likely will be years before the full scope of the dispersants' effects on the environment and human and marine life are known.
Engineer says Mozart makes microbes more productive The owners of a German sewage treatment plant called on scientists to investigate Wednesday after they claimed playing Mozart motivates the plant's microbes and makes them more productive. Roland Meinusch, manager of the plant in Treuenbrietzen said by playing Mozart's Magic Flute on a half-hour loop, the plant produced 1,000 cubic meters (35,300 cubic feet) less sewage sludge than normal, saving $13,600 over the past year. The harder the microbes work, the more sewage they digest which produces more clean water and less sludge, he told The Local news website. "And the less sludge we produce, the less we have to pay to farmers for them to put it on their fields," Meinusch added. He said the plant was contacted by a company making special loudspeakers that had apparently achieved positive results at an Austrian sewage plant.
Research / Nigeria Prof. Gideon Sunny Okpokwasili, of Environmental Microbiology and Bioremediation Division, Department of Microbiology University of Port Harcourt, has advanced research on Bioremediation for cleaner environment. Science Reporter, STANLEY CHIBUIHEM AMALAHA, who was with him at the university recently, reports.
Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science Evaluating Semiaquatic Herbaceous Perennials for Use in Herbicide Phytoremediation R. Thomas Fernandez, Ted Whitwell, Melissa B. Riley1 and Cassandra R. Bernard
Bioremediation and Ecological Restoration Job (posted Oct. 23, 2011) The University of Texas - Pan American (UTPA) Department of Biology is trying to fill an Assistant Professor Faculty position in Bioremediation and Ecological Restoration, which will start in Fall 2012 pending budget approval. They're looking for someone whose area of research is bioremediation and/or ecological restoration, and they're especially interested in candidates whose research focuses on environmental issues relevant to the Lower Rio Grande Valley.
Research of microbes yielding big health advances research is proving that a healthy bacteria culture contributes to the immune system.
Cal Tech (pdf) bioremediation of endocrine disruptors, study by Julia Brown, Puikei Cheng, Amanda Shelton, Ashley Su, Nicole Thadani.
Cuban scientists develop oil waste treatment with bacteria The Center for Environmental Studies of Cienfuegos (CEAC), in collaboration with the Center for Bioactive Marine (CBM) in Havana, is carrying out the process in the provinces of Cienfuegos, Pinar del Rio and Matanzas.
GMO poplars vs wild poplars in phytoremediation study looks at the difference between wild and genetically modified poplars remediating soil
New Zealand's Waikato University launching Environmental Research Institute The Institute's freshwater ecosystems expertise encompasses lakes management and restoration, pest fish control, nutrient modelling and wetland ecohydrology. ERI researchers are currently engaged in a 10-year $10 million initiative to clean up New Zealand's lakes.
mycorrhizal fungus for plant support Dr. Mike Amaranthus explains why mycorrhizal fungus helps plants grow. This fungus is lost when developers scrape and pack the land.
fieldsofscience.com Researcher Rosie Redfield explains why GFAJ-1 grow much better on agar than in liquid.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com Research article: 'Phytoremediation of heavy metal-contaminated water and sediment by Eleocharis acicularis.'
Bioneers conference October 14-16, 2011, San Rafael, California.
Bioremediation seminar Dr. Terry Hazen, oil biodegradation authority, will deliver a seminar July 27 at the University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast Research Laboratory. Hazen is co-director of the Virtual Institute for Microbial Stress and Survival at the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory managed by the University of California. Additionally, he is head of the Center for Environmental Biotechnology at DOE's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
hyperthermophilic microbes, called archaea, discovered in Nevada hot springs
Students provide bioremediation jobs for their region in Australia after training program.
The International Journal of Phytoremediation is the first journal devoted to the publication of current laboratory and field research describing the use of plant systems to remediate contaminated environments.
Biotechnology Symposium at State University of New York College of Environmenta Science and Forestry draws 140 participants
Valentine Lab at UC Santa Barbara, headed by Professor Dave Valentine, "studies the interactions among microbes and between microbes and the Earth system." Tracking microbial processes in the Gulf spill.
Article a good explanation of how bioremediation works.
Philippines to use bioremediation to keep city clean DoST offered to look into the possibility of developing enzyme-based process to degrade or reduce harmful chemicals in garbage that collects on the streets.
Conference in Kentucky Feb. 22-24, 2011 Alltech will hold its first annual International Algae Conference, to showcase the technological revolution of algae fermentation, including biodiesel, bioremediation, carbon sequestration, and feature a tour of Alltech's new world-class algae production and research facility, one of the largest in the world.
National Research Council Canada The goal of the NRC-BRI Environmental Microbiology Group is to better understand and control the microbiological processes associated with the biological breakdown of environmental contaminants.
EOS Remediation, LLC bioremediation products and consultants for bioremediation, bioaugmentation; works with BTEX - Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, Xylenes, Chlorinated Ethenes - PCE, TCE, cis-DCE, Explosives - RDX, TNT, Perchlorate, Hexavalent Chromium, Chlorinated Ethanes - TCA, 1,1-DCA, and MTBE & TBA.
Savannah River National Laboratory demonstration project to use microbes to clean up volatile chlorinated compounds
Grants awarded for Colorado Renewable Energy projects (ACRE)
A question for researchers: why does BP release un-tested synthetic microbes when we already have natural organic microbes that will eat oil? Excerpt:*
"The physical symptoms of the BP Flu, BP Crud, Blue Flu, or whatever name you choose to call it, are as unique as the synthetic bacteria being used in the Gulf. Since mankind is carbon based, how do these synthetically created hydrogen and carbon hungry bacteria react to human flesh? Internal bleeding as well as ulcerating skin lesions are the physical signs of their computer created DNA signature. BP and their paid minions have released a synthetic biological plague in the Gulf of Mexico and it's out of control. The entire world is a victim of their greed and foolishness. By playing the role of creator, they have begun a very dangerous game with infinite repercussions for life as we know it."
oilspillnews.net article recommends bioremediation for oil spill clean-up
Bioremediation of Heavy metal ions and Organic pollutants by Microbes, by Dr. Rani Faryal, a new textbook for microbiology studentstold ya so: LOS ANGELES - Dec 9, 2010. A soon-to-be released independent television documentary interviews marine scientists who argue that the chemical dispersant used to treat the largest ocean oil spill in American history is a case of the cure being far more deadly to this highly productive marine ecosystem than the disease (oil) was. The film argues that instead of this harsh chemical, the environmentally friendly technology known as bio-remediation should have been used. Bioremediation is scientifically proven to speed up natural processes such as oil-eating microbes to clean up oil spills. Despite strong scientific documentation that bioremediation technology could have restored the Gulf to health in a relatively short time, interview subjects say government agencies are actively preventing the clean-up efforts through the implementation of extensive bureaucratic red tape rather than working to rehabilitate the nation's most productive biological and commercial ecosystems. The thirty minute documentary "The Hidden Crisis in the Gulf" produced by The Earth Organization (TEO) is being released this week in Louisiana cities with subsequent airings across the other Gulf States during December and January. Its nationwide release is scheduled beginning Monday, Jan 10, 2011.
bioremdiation for oil pollution a simple explanation.
Altogen Labs announced today 11/23/2010 that it has successfully isolated natural oil-eating bacteria from polluted soil near Galveston Bay, Texas that has been shown in laboratory tests to be effective for the bioremediation of crude oil and petroleum saturated earth. AltogenLabs.com
Brownfield Expo (BEX) 2011 May 24-26, 2011 - make plans now to be there! This is the UK's main event for contaminated land solutions, aimed at land users, contractors, environmental consultants and decision makers from both the private and public sectors, looking for products and services to assist in the redevelopment of contaminated land and asbestos and pollution clean up.
Bioremediation for Marine Oil Spills a report by the Federation of American Scientists
conference announcement Microbes in Wastewater & Waste Treatment, Bioremediation and Energy Production, January 24-27, 2011 at BITS - Pilani, Goa campus, Goa, India
Call for papers: Bioremediation of Toxic Elements in Water, Soil and Sludges A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Engineering - See original, click here.
Bioremediation, Biodiversity and Bioavailability journal accepts reviews and original papers that apply ecological concepts, theories, models and methods to the management of biological resources (primarily plant), through the use of applied ecological problems to test and develop basic ecological theory
Subscribe to BIO SmartBrief a newsletter for bioremediation scientists
article University of West Florida researchers have been awarded $748,913 for four projects researching the impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The Florida Institute of Oceanography at the University of South Florida in Tampa awarded money to 27 projects statewide, selected from 233 that researchers submitted.
Bio Convention Call for BIO Session proposals closes Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2010. The 2011 BIO International Convention is a forum to discuss the latest in bioremediation, to take place June 27-30, 2011, Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Washington, DC.
Headline from 8/24/2010: "Oil-eating microbes: Scientists have discovered a new oil-eating microbe while studying oil spilled into the Gulf with a great potential to help dispose of deep-sea oil plumes. - The Detroit News
Sign a petition to elected U.S. officials to use bioremediation in the Gulf of Mexico.
ScienceDaily.com A new report, "Global Environmental Change: Microbial Contributions, Microbial Solutions," from the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) says that microbes could hold the cure for global warming. (Something we have believed for a long time, thank you.) Read the report posted here: asm.org.
FMC to team with university researchers investigating bioremediation approaches to the Gulf Coast oil spill The Texas Institute for Applied Environmental Research at Tarleton State University*, Texas A & M Galveston Dept. of Marine Biology*, Tarleton State Dept. of Engineering* and FMC have formed a research group that will combine naturally occurring microbes with nutrients and PermeOx Plus®, FMC's engineered oxygen-releasing chemistry, to "supercharge" the bacteria for the aerobic digestion of the weathered oil.
Enhanced In-Situ Bioremediation (EISB) Workshop October 5, 2010 - Westford Regency, Westford, MA, and October 6, 2010 - Gold Eagle Restaurant, Dayville, CT
International Symposium on Bioremediation and Sustainable Environmental Technologies, to take place June 27-30, 2011, Reno, Nevada, Peppermill Resort. Call for abstracts - due date Nov. 15, 2010, see: Battell.org
Frontiers in Microbial Ecotoxicology and Bioremediation (publication) - call for papers on ecotoxiology and bioremediation
Biodegradation Technology Developments: Principles and Practice, Volume II (Bioremediation Series),
see the book at: Amazon.com.The Energy and Research Institute (TERI) enter "bioremediation" in the search window to find research on Bioremediation of oil-contaminated marine and freshwater environments
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Potential for bioremediation of agro-industrial effluents with high loads of pesticides by selected fungi.
Center for Environmental Diagnostics and Bioremediation, University of West Florida
University of Alabama
Patenting Status of Bioremediation Technologies in United States, Europe and India: A Comparative Study
U.S. Geological Survey - Bioremediation: Nature's Way to a Cleaner Environment
University of West Florida Center for Environmental Diagnostics and Bioremediation (CEDB)
Biocycle Oil And Compost Could Prove A Good Mix In The Gulf BioCycle July 2010, Vol. 51, No. 7, p. 20 EPA bioremediation expert says providing an "organic matrix" could allow microbes to clean up hydrocarbon pollutants in the water and along the coast.
American Society for Microbiology - asm.org
First National Conference on Bioremediation - October 26-27, 2010, Sponsored by the National Academy of Science and Technology, University of the Philippines Los Baños, Philippine Council for Advanced Science and Technology Research and Development, DOST "Addressing the Problems and Solutions of Environmental Pollution through Bioremediation" call for abstracts - natbiorem.uplb.edu.ph
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Laboratory in Grand Isle can generate up to thirty thousand gallons of microbes in a day, which can then be sprayed on oiled marsh grass along the Louisiana coast. (Patrick Semansky / for msnbc.com) see: MSNBC.msn.com
Bacteria Cleaned up China spill "The use of the oil-eating bacteria at the Dalian spill is the first time a major use of biotechnology to solve an environmental pollution problem," Micro-cleaner Biotechnology Corporation based in Beijing, which participated in the pollution control mission, told the Xinhua News Agency earlier. See: china.globaltimes.cn
Find out who's who in microbiology, see: Frontiers
ScienceDirect.com Academic Papers for Sale
[disclaimer: we get these links from Google Alerts and have no affiliation or knowledge of sciencedirect.com's services]
study available on bioremediation of mangroves Researchers develop a bioremediation strategy for oil-contaminated mangrove sediments using chitosan beads containing an immobilised hydrocarbonoclastic bacterial consortium.
ScienceDirect.com The present study assessed the reduction of nutrients and organic matter in polluted waters using Myriophyllum aquaticum. Twelve experimental groups were established and distributed in six control groups (CG) and six plant treated groups (PTG).
Phytoremediation in mangrove sediments "This study evaluated the efficiency of Avicennia schaueriana in the implementation of phytoremediation compared with intrinsic bioremediation in mangrove sediments contaminated by total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs)."
Phytoremediation of pyrene contaminated soils Ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa) were planted in pots to remediate pyrene contaminated quartz sand (as a control group), alluvial and red soils amended with and without compost. The pyrene degradation percentages in quartz sand, alluvial soil, and red soil amended with compost (5%, w/w) and planted with ryegrass and alfalfa for 90 d growth were 98-99% and 97-99%, respectively, while those of pyrene in the corresponding treatments amended without compost but planted with ryegrass and alfalfa were 91-96% and 58-89%, respectively.
ScienceDirect.com Bioremediation of uranium-contaminated groundwater: a systems approach to subsurface biogeochemistry Kenneth H Williams, John R Bargar, Jonathan R Lloyd, Derek R Lovley
phytoremediation to remove heavy metals Hazrat Alia, Ezzat Khanb, Muhammad Anwar Sajadc, Department of Biotechnology, University of Malakand, Chakdara 18800, Dir Lower, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan; Department of Chemistry, University of Malakand, Chakdara 18800, Dir Lower, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan; Department of Botany, Islamia College University Peshawar, Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
sciencedirectcom Bioremediation of acid mine water using facultatively methylotrophic metal-tolerant sulfate-reducing bacteria. A microbial process is proposed for the decontamination of acid uranium mine water high in sulfates and metals.
sciencedirect.com "Laboratory research aimed at closing the gaps in microbial remediation."
Institute of Microbiology Paulo de Góes, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro Enzymatic remediation is a valuable alternative as it can be easier to work with than whole organisms, especially in extreme environments. Furthermore, the use of free enzymes avoids the release of exotic or genetically modified organisms (GMO) in the environment.
Design and field-scale implementation of an "on site" bioremediation treatment in PAH-polluted soil.
Positive energy sources
Besides remediation and detoxification, we need alternative green energy sources. Since microbes may play a role, I have included any interesting links I have found in this category. The goal is to burn less carbon-based fuel, while simultaneously cleaning up carbon pollution we have already caused.
Electrofuels fuels from the process of bioremediation studied
solarusa.org/ucla.html UCLA engineering professor Yang Yang, postdoctoral researcher Gang Li, and graduate student Vishal Shrotriya describe innovative polymer solar cell. The polycrystalline solar cell, or thin-film solar cell (TFSC), is also called a thin-film photovoltaic cell (TFPV).
Discovery.com Rugged heat- and salt-loving organisms could unlock the secret to efficient biofuel production.
Britain turning food waste into fuel "British Gas and Bio Group, a company working on bioremediation technology, announced they've signed a deal to build a facility in Stockport, England, to convert commercial food waste into gas."
bioremediation-based catalytic converter with a pipe lined with microbes converts exhaust gases from vehicles into reusable fuel
Invention of the Optical Battery announced April 2011
University of Michigan Professor Stephen Rand, and doctoral student W.M. Fisher have announced what they call an "optical battery." They say it will cost less and use fewer precious natural resources. Dr. Rand is a professor in the departments of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Physics and Applied Physics. They unveiled their research in the Journal of Applied Physics (see original http://jap.aip.org/).
We need a new, positive, green source of energy. Then we can start to concentrate on environmental remediation, restoration, and detoxification. This is the first positive news we have received on positive energy. The rest of the page is devoted to bioremediation products and research. Our motto is "long live the friendly bacteria." Bookmark this page for news about the optical battery and other positive energy sources.
optical battery A hidden magnetic effect of light could make it possible
Horsepower to Microbe Power A new report states that: "a type of bacteria called Shewanella Oneidensis that live in oxygen-free environments may be an exciting new power source for everything from lights to mobile phone chargers." The microbes have tiny wires penetrating their walls that emit electricity. The article concludes: "Imagine bragging to your friends about how many million microbes you have under the hood . . . instead of just a few hundred horsepower."
Click here to read the original article. [Caution: The article says, "The hope is that the built in 'electrical outlet' the bacteria have can be re-designed slightly so the electrical charges can be used to clean up oil spills and other pollutants." Does this mean turning them into GMOs [genetically modified organisms]? Doesn't sound good, but I will investigate further.]
Another creative entry to this category is the "solar concentrator" window meant for commercial buildings. They would conserve energy, as well as generate energy. Google "solar concentrator" for more information.
The New York Times Healthy Microbe Cultures, By Gina Kolata, June 13, 2012:
For years, bacteria have had a bad name. They are the cause of infections, of diseases. They are something to be scrubbed away, things to be avoided.
But now researchers have taken a detailed look at another set of bacteria that may play even bigger roles in health and disease: the 100 trillion good bacteria that live in or on the human body.
Healthy Microbes
Researchers have discovered that the microbial culture in healthy patients is different from microbial cultures in diseased patients. If you want to continue this research, just know that it is not that complicated. People who eat a healthy diet, including a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, and who take probiotic supplements, will develop healthy microbial cultures. People who eat an unhealthy diet, and repeatedly kill off their microbial cultures with antibiotics and anti-bacterial cleaners, will have unhealthy microbial cultures. If you want to find the microbes that promote good health, look to the microbes already on the market. Probiotic products like Dr. Kim's Greens, digestive enzymes, and acidophilus, are sufficient. Why reinvent the wheel? And finally, if you want to improve someone's microbial health, you do not need to implant a health donor's feces into the patient's gut. Just feed the patient healthy food and probiotic supplements, and healthy microbes will grow! That grossed me out when I read about fecal transplants. Why go to all that trouble, when a good diet and supplementation would work? Patients will need to develop a healthy diet anyway, if they are to truly heal from disease.
Careers in Bioremediation
Students: if you like science, consider a degree in microbiology. You can become an expert in bioremediation of the environment using natural materials, such as plants, fungus, microbes, friendly bacteria, and food for microbes. This is America's top service and manufacturing industry of the future. If you have the opportunity to go to college, major in microbiology and business.
The Gulf Coast could someday become the bioremediation capital of the world. The market for friendly microbes will automatically grow as people wake up. "World be free" is the motto of an army of future American microbiologists.
Or study chemical engineering, specializing in natural alternatives to toxic chemicals like surfactants.* Yeah! microbes and other natural materials can do the same things as petrochemicals without hurting the environment!
One way to make a good living in this field, once you have your degrees, credentials, and experience, is to learn all the materials out there and which is best for a given the situation. Then look around for troubled areas that could benefit from bioremediation. Work with the property owners or government to make things right.
I try to post information about upcoming conferences, which are a good way to learn about the industry. Check the research section link. Be sure to read the next entry on Louis Pasteur . . .
Louis Pasteur (1822-1895) was a French microbiologist, one of the founders of the germ theory of disease. He set the tone for hatred of microbes that has lasted more than a hundred years after his death. Twentieth century microbiologists were deathly afraid of bad microbes, so their main focus was to invent stronger antibiotics. In the twentieth century, microbiologists will study good microbes and make probiotics. The good microbes will outnumber bad microbes and we will achieve what no anti-biotic can. Long live the friendly microbes!
We need trillions more friendly microbes to break down toxic waste and balance the environment. The technology exists to grow friendly microbes and we have the knowledge to distribute them where they can do some good. Many companies already manufacture and sell the products we need to balance our planet. We just need more. Let's repair our relationship with the microbe world and stop trying to kill them all. Good microbes can drown out bad microbes, just as light casts out darkness. A healthy microbe culture is the key to the future of life as we know it on the planet.
Surfactant
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Surfactants are compounds that lower the surface tension of a liquid, allowing easier spreading, and lowering of the interfacial tension between two liquids, or between a liquid and a solid. Surfactants may act as: detergents, wetting agents, emulsifiers, foaming agents, and dispersants.
Some surfactants are known to be toxic to animals, ecosystems and humans, and can increase the diffusion of other environmental contaminants. Despite this, they are routinely deposited in numerous ways on land and into water systems, whether as part of an intended process or as industrial and household waste. Some surfactants have proposed or voluntary restrictions on their use. For example, PFOS is a persistent organic pollutant as judged by the Stockholm Convention. Additionally, PFOA has been subject to a voluntary agreement by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and eight chemical companies to reduce and eliminate emissions of the chemical and its precursors.
Microbes in the News 2010
"[Harry L. Allen, III, Ph.D.] specializes in the cleanup of oil spills, hazardous waste and contaminated soils through bioremediation - the use of microscopic organisms to break down toxic chemicals. He suggests that compost could play a pivotal role in mitigating the Deepwater Horizon spill both on shore and in shallow waters. The only limitation would be that the mixture should not sink"
"Compost is a rich source of bacteria and actinomyces, microscopic organisms that fall somewhere between bacteria and plants. These are equipped with complex metabolic systems that breakdown complex hydrocarbons like those found in oil, pesticides and other common petroleum-based pollutants. . . ." (quoted in BioCycle [sorry, article is now offline] the magazine for advancing composting, organics recycling & renewable energy - click to read the original article).
Cleanenergyworks!! The people who started Cleanenergyworks.us get what I am talking about. This is the first positive statement anybody has made to define our crisis and point us toward a solution. Simple but effective.
Everybody call your elected officials at 202-224-3121 and ask for a clean energy bill. (You have to know your ZIP+4 to look up your representative, unless you know his or her name. You have two state senators, try to talk to both of them, even if they are right-wingers.)
From the time I compiled the research below for Organic Cures, until now eighty-five days deep in the BP oil disaster, I have discovered that there are a lot of bioremediation companies. The science has come a lot farther, a lot faster than I had thought. After setting my Google Alert for the keyword "bioremediation," I have received hundreds of articles and blog postings on the subject. I will still keep Organic Cures online, but will be posting newer entries at the top. Mostly just relating back some of the things I find from Google Alert.
Aeration and Friendly Bacteria Clean Waterways
Aeration - circulation from top to bottom turns the water over, bringing oxygen into the system. Along with aeration, the restoration includes adding friendly bacteria. The oxygen and bacteria work together to clean the water. For a contractor who has perfected this technique, go go Clean-flo.com. This technique could clean up pollution from the BP explosion.
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