Bioremediation: meaning, definitions and examples

Use this term when discussing the process of using living organisms, like bacteria or plants, to clean up environmental pollutants and restore the environment to its original state.

• Bioremediation was employed to clean the contaminated soil in the industrial area

This is used in a more general sense to describe any cleanup process that uses biological agents, and can be used interchangeably with bioremediation in casual conversation.

• After the oil spill, a biological cleanup was initiated to restore the marine ecosystem

This word is appropriate when referring to the natural breakdown of organic materials by microorganisms over time, often without human intervention.

• Biodegradation of the plastic waste could take hundreds of years

This term is commonly used in scientific and environmental discussions to refer to the process of using microorganisms to remove or neutralize contaminants from a polluted area. It's a broad and technical term that can be applied in various settings, such as soil, water, and air cleanup.

• Bioremediation is a preferred method for cleaning up oil spills in marine environments.
• Researchers are exploring bioremediation to treat contaminated groundwater.

This phrase specifies the application of bioremediation in an environmental context, highlighting the focus on environmental protection and sustainability. It's often used in academic papers, environmental reports, and policy discussions.

• The government funded a large-scale environmental bioremediation project to address industrial pollution.
• Environmental bioremediation techniques can significantly reduce the ecological footprint of waste management.

This term is less technical and more colloquial compared to 'bioremediation'. It's often used in more informal discussions or in media to describe the process of using biological methods to clean up the environment.

• Bio-cleanup efforts are underway to restore the river after the chemical spill.
• Community volunteers participated in a bio-cleanup project to improve their local park.