5.2.3 Bioreactors
The reactor is used for bioremediation in which contaminated solid material (soil,
sediment, sludge) or water is processed in a designed controlled system. The bioreactors are used for ex situ bioremediation of contaminated soil and water pumped
up from a contaminated plume.
6 Approaches for Enhancing the Bioremediation
of Pesticides
Bioremediation is a process that is carried out to remove the toxic compounds from
the contaminated site using microbial biomass. Although bioremediation may be
carried out by several ways, bioaugmentation, biostimulation, and cell immobilization are found very effective for enhanced degradation of pesticides.
6.1 Bioaugmentation
Bioaugmentation is the repair process in which exogenous microbial populations
with specific catabolic activities have been applied in biodegradation process at
contaminated sites or in the bioreactors. This process is performed either on-site or
off-site for the removal of harmful contaminants (Head and Oleszkiewicz 2004;
Perelo 2010) and is widely regarded as an effective microbiological method that
promotes the degradation of pesticides (Dams et al. 2007; Plangklang and
Reungsang 2010). This process is able to eliminate a wide range of contaminants,
such as NH 3 , H 2 S, and petroleum by-products, along with organic and inorganic
contaminants (Khan et al. 2005; Park et al. 2008; Xu et al. 2008).
6.2 Biostimulation
In order to improve the microbial efficiency for pesticide degradation, different
external stimuli, such as carbon sources, vitamins, oxygen, and other nutrients,
have been applied, called biostimulation (Kanissery and Sims 2011). The addition
of stimulating nutrients (carbon sources) can promote a quick depletion of available
stocks of major nutrients (phosphorus and nitrogen) (Huang et al. 2018; Plangklang
and Reungsang 2010). Nutritional supplements are used as inducers to enhance the
enzymatic activity and metabolite generation during pesticide biodegradation
(Plangklang and Reungsang 2010; Robles-Gonzalez et al. 2008). In order to enhance
the microbial degradation caused by stimulation, water-soluble nutrients, such as
8 Bioremediation: Efficient Technology to Combat Pesticide Pollutants in. . .
161
The reactor is used for bioremediation in which contaminated solid material (soil,
sediment, sludge) or water is processed in a designed controlled system. The bioreactors are used for ex situ bioremediation of contaminated soil and water pumped
up from a contaminated plume.
6 Approaches for Enhancing the Bioremediation
of Pesticides
Bioremediation is a process that is carried out to remove the toxic compounds from
the contaminated site using microbial biomass. Although bioremediation may be
carried out by several ways, bioaugmentation, biostimulation, and cell immobilization are found very effective for enhanced degradation of pesticides.
6.1 Bioaugmentation
Bioaugmentation is the repair process in which exogenous microbial populations
with specific catabolic activities have been applied in biodegradation process at
contaminated sites or in the bioreactors. This process is performed either on-site or
off-site for the removal of harmful contaminants (Head and Oleszkiewicz 2004;
Perelo 2010) and is widely regarded as an effective microbiological method that
promotes the degradation of pesticides (Dams et al. 2007; Plangklang and
Reungsang 2010). This process is able to eliminate a wide range of contaminants,
such as NH 3 , H 2 S, and petroleum by-products, along with organic and inorganic
contaminants (Khan et al. 2005; Park et al. 2008; Xu et al. 2008).
6.2 Biostimulation
In order to improve the microbial efficiency for pesticide degradation, different
external stimuli, such as carbon sources, vitamins, oxygen, and other nutrients,
have been applied, called biostimulation (Kanissery and Sims 2011). The addition
of stimulating nutrients (carbon sources) can promote a quick depletion of available
stocks of major nutrients (phosphorus and nitrogen) (Huang et al. 2018; Plangklang
and Reungsang 2010). Nutritional supplements are used as inducers to enhance the
enzymatic activity and metabolite generation during pesticide biodegradation
(Plangklang and Reungsang 2010; Robles-Gonzalez et al. 2008). In order to enhance
the microbial degradation caused by stimulation, water-soluble nutrients, such as
8 Bioremediation: Efficient Technology to Combat Pesticide Pollutants in. . .
161