This document summarizes biodegradation and bioremediation. It defines biodegradation as the breakdown of organic matter by microorganisms like bacteria and fungi. Bioremediation uses these microorganisms to remove pollutants from contaminated sites. The mechanism of biodegradation involves three stages: biodeterioration, biofragmentation, and assimilation. Biodegradation can occur aerobically, in the presence of oxygen, or anaerobically, in the absence of oxygen. Bioremediation has advantages like completely destroying contaminants on-site, but is limited to biodegradable compounds and can take a long time.

1. BIODEGRADATION &
BIOREMEDIATION
ASSIGNMENT

2. BIODEGRADATION
What is Bioremediation?
Biodegradation is the breakdown of organic matter by microorganisms, such as bacteria and
fungi. This can take days, weeks or even centuries. Product that biodegrade quickly are preferable
to those that don’t ; their harmful content broken down in shorter period of time.
ORGANIC MATTER:
Lichens Branches of trees
Moss Leaves
Earthworm Animals
Insects Algae /fungi
BIODEGRADABLE WASTE:
They are such type of waste materials which can be degraded by natural factors like
microbes(Bacteria, fungi) and abiotic elements like temperature, UV, oxygen etc.

3. MECHANISM OF BIODEGRADATION
Process of biodegradation divided into 3 main stages:
1. Bio deterioration
2. Bio fragmentation
3. Assimilation
BIODETERIORATION
 It is also referred as surface level degradation that modifies the physical and chemical
properties of material.
 This stage occurs when material is exposed to the abiotic factor in outdoor environment and
allow for further degradation by weakening the material structure.
 Some abiotic factors are light, temperature and chemicals in environment.

4. MECHANISM OF BIODEGRADATION
BIOFRAGMENTATION
Bio fragmentation of polymers is a lytic process
in which bonds within a polymer are cleaved
and generating oligomers and monomers
(fragments) in it’s place.
Based on
This step of fragmentation of
materials also differ based on
the presence of oxygen
in system.
“The main difference between these 2
digestions are the production of Methane
by anaerobic digestion but aerobic digestion
do not.”
AEROBIC DIGESTION
Breakdown of material by microorganisms occurs
in the presence of oxygen.
C polymers+ Oxygen C residue + C biomass + H20 + CO2
ANAEROBIC DIGESTION
Breakdown of materials by microorganisms in the
absence of oxygen
C polymers C residues + C biomass + CO2+ H20 + CH4

5. MECHANISM OF BIODEGRADATION
“ In addition, AEROBIC DIGESTION typically occurs more rapidly than anaerobic digestion while
anaerobic digestion does perform a better job in reducing volume and mass of material and also
produced natural gas. So anaerobic Technology is widely used for waste management and as a
source of local and renewable energy. “
ASSIMILATION
 Resulted product from Bio fragmentation get integrated into microbial cell.
 Some of the products are easily transported by membrane carrier and other products required
further bio fragmentation /bio transformation reaction to yield products that can be transported
inside of the cell.
 Inside the cell, the products involves in catabolic pathway and lead to the production of ATP
and cell structure elements.

6. ADVANTAGES OF BIODEGRADATION
 These products break down naturally, the eventually decompose and are consumed by soil
and other natural components.
 This natural process means no forced chemical reaction need to take place to Kick start the
process and less pollution will happens as a result.
EXAMPLE:
PSEUDOMONAS is a microorganism which are found in soil. The members of this PSEUDOMONAS
family are consider predominant which help to degrade xenobiotic. They are important for
environment as well as beneficial for human.
XENOBIOTIC: Unnatural, foreign and artificial chemicals like pesticides and herbicide

8. Bioremediation Objectives
 What is Bioremediation?
 How it works?
 Types
 Microorganism and their Application
 Factors
 Advantages and Disadvantages

9. What is Bioremediation?
 "Remediate" to solve a problem,
 “Bio-remediate" means to use biological organisms to solve an
environmental problem such as contaminated soil or groundwater.
Bioremediation is a waste management technique which
involves the use of biological organisms to remove or
neutralize pollutants from the contaminated site.

11. Bioremediation is Triple Corner Process
Pollutants
Environments Organism
Inorganic organic
Gas
Liquid
Solid
Soil
Enzymes
Plants
Microorganism
Water
Air

12. How it works?
First, the
contaminants are
analyzed, and
microorganisms are
chosen.
The
microorganisms
break down
contaminants by
using them as an
energy source
Microbes then grow
enormously and
consume all organic
nutrients and
convert them into
carbon dioxide and
water.

13. “
IN SITU EX SITU
In situ bioremediation process is
performed at the original site of
the contaminant.
Ex situ bioremediation process
is performed out of the location
where the contaminant is
found.
Cost
This process is less expensive This process is more expensive.
Manageability
This process is less manageable. This process is more
manageable
Effectivity
This process is less effective. This process is more effective

14. Types
 Microbial bioremediation uses microorganisms to break down contaminants by using
them as a food source.
 Phytoremediation uses plants to bind, extract, and clean up pollutants such as
pesticides, petroleum hydrocarbons, metals, and chlorinated solvents.
 Mycoremediation uses fungi’s digestive enzymes to break down contaminants such
as pesticides, hydrocarbons, and heavy metals.

15. Microorganism in Bioremediation
Living microorganism are used in Bioremediation to convert complex toxic compounds into
harmless. Pure, mixed, enriched and genetically engineered microorganism have been used for
degradation of complex compounds.
Some of the examples of microorganism and their applications are given below
Micrococcus inteus Bioremediation of oil contaminated environment
Bacillus subtilis Bioremediation of hydrocarbon contaminated site
Pseudomonas Bioremediation of organic compounds

16. Factors
 MOISTURE influence the rate of contaminant metabolism.
 NUTRIENTS like Nitrogen , Potassium, Sulphur, Phosphorous etc. are not available in sufficient
amount microbial activity will be limited.
 OXYGEN increase the concentration of electron acceptor in water as it is the main electron
acceptor in aerobic bioremediation.
 Soil pH may effect the availability of nutrients. Optimum pH is 6.5-8.5.
 Temperature influence it by controlling the rate of enzymatic reactions within organism.

17. Advantages and Disadvantages
 Advantages
• Bioremediation is useful for the complete destruction of a wide variety of contaminants.
• Instead of transferring contaminants from one environmental medium to another, for example,
from land to water or air, the complete destruction of target pollutants is possible.
• Bioremediation can often be carried out on site, often without causing a major disruption of
normal activities.
 Disadvantages
• It is limited to those compounds that are biodegradable.
• Biological processes are often highly specific.
• Bioremediation often takes longer than other treatment options, such as excavation and
removal of soil or incineration.

18. PRESENTED BY
GROUP 3
IFTIKHAR EHSAN
QURAT UL AIN
SUMIYA NOOR
ZAIN UL ABIDEEN
ALISHBA RIFAT