Bioremediation is the process of biologically breaking down some type of contaminant, usually with some type of synthetic chemical, through the use of beneficial microorganisms. Depending on what has actually contaminated the area, a specific formula will be designed and inoculations will begin. Some methods involve complete removal of contaminated soil and incinerating it at very high temperatures to cook off the contaminant(s). Another method of remediating soils is to use plants known to uptake specific nutrients or metals from soils. This method is known as phyto-remediation. Once the plant has removed the contaminant from the soil it is then incinerated at very high temperatures to prevent release into the atmosphere. Depending on the results of the site assessment, sometimes it is best to let things take care of themselves naturally. This process is called natural attenuation. Enhanced bioremediation can involve injecting more microbes and/or a food source for the microbes already present in the area to be remediated. The thought process behind bioremediation is very simple and has been a quickly growing field since the late 1980's. All synthetic chemicals are modeled off of some natural product in one form or another. Microorganisms are known to break down any natural substance. The thought is to introduce microbes of a certain genus that are known to break down the naturalsubstance and hope that it will break down the synthetic substance. Because the synthetic substances are usually toxic, a tremendous amount of the microorganisms are needed to surpass a threshold. Once the microbes can establish large populations, they can work on breaking down the substance. Studies have been done using individual strains of microbes for bioremediation. Several of these studies have been done by the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy on the use of photosynthetic bacteria and their ability to break down substances such as benzene and perchlorates. Science likes to isolate events so it can understand how one substance works. However, by doing this they often miss the synergistic effects that could have taken place with complex cultures of microorganisms. Effective Microorganisms™ works as a complex network of beneficial microorganisms. More often than not, EM-1® becomes a food source for the group of microbes that do the actual job. Without the EM-1® present, the indigenous biologicals may not have been able to accomplish the task themselves. The fact that Effective Microorganisms™ co-exist with indigenous microbes is one reason why EM-1® has such vast uses.

Since each project is different in regards to chemical components and severity of problems, EM America develops a different program for each incidence. Items needed to complete this programs include a full onsite assessment, lists of all the materials that have contaminated the area, lists of all materials that since been used, any geological assessments of the area, maps, soil samples, water samples (if applicable), etc. These assessments are usually outsourced to an agency that specializes in these areas. EM America will meet with the consultants and develop a mode of treatment and monitor the project to assure the project goals are achieved.

Please contact EM America if you have a site that you wish to engage in as a remediation project for a customized program. EM America encourages engineering firms engaged in bioremediation or enhanced bioremediation to contact us and collaborate on projects they have in mind.