| Title | In situ groundwater and sediment bioremediation: Barriers and perspectives at European contaminated sites |
| Abstract | This paper contains a critical examination of the current application of environmental biotechnologies in the field of bioremediation of contaminated groundwater and sediments. Based on analysis of conventional technologies applied in several European Countries and in the US, scientific, technical and administrative barriers and constraints which still need to be overcome for an improved exploitation of bioremediation are discussed. From this general survey, it is evident that in situ bioremediation is a highly promising and cost-effective technology for remediation of contaminated soil, groundwater and sediments. The wide metabolic diversity of microorganisms makes it applicable to an ever-increasing number of contaminants and contamination scenarios. On the other hand, in situ bioremediation is highly knowledge-intensive and its application requires a thorough understanding of the geochemistry, hydrogeology, microbiology and ecology of contaminated soils, groundwater and sediments, under both natural and engineered conditions. Hence, its potential still remains partially unexploited, largely because of a lack of general consensus and public concerns regarding the lack of effectiveness and control, poor reliability, and possible occurrence of side effects, for example accumulation of toxic metabolites and pathogens. Basic, applied and pre-normative research are all needed to overcome these barriers and make in situ bioremediation more reliable, robust and acceptable to the public, as well as economically more competitive. Research efforts should not be restricted to a deeper understanding of relevant microbial reactions, but also include their interactions with the large array of other relevant phenomena, as a function of the truly variable site-specific conditions. There is a need for a further development and application of advanced biomolecular tools for site investigation, as well as of advanced metabolic and kinetic modelling tools. These would allow a quicker evaluation of the bioremediation potential of a site, and in turn a preliminary assessment of the technical feasibility of the chosen bioprocess which could replace or at least reduce the need for time-consuming and expensive field tests. At the same time, field tests will probably remain unavoidable for a detailed design of full scale remedial actions and the above reported tools will in any event be useful for a better design and a more reliable operation. |
| Source | New biotechnology (Print) 32 (1), pp. 133–146 |
| Keywords | in situ bioremediation |
| Journal | New biotechnology (Print) |
| Editor | Elsevier Life Science, Amsterdam, Paesi Bassi |
| Year | 2015 |
| Type | Articolo in rivista |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.nbt.2014.02.011 |
| Authors | Majone, Mauro; Verdini, Roberta; Aulenta, Federico; Rossetti, Simona; Tandoi, Valter; Kalogerakis, Nicolas E.; Agathos, Spiros N.; Puig, Sebastià; Zanaroli, Giulio; Fava, Fabio |
| Text | 300130 2015 10.1016/j.nbt.2014.02.011 Scopus 2 s2.0 84912101693 ISI Web of Science WOS 000347507800018 in situ bioremediation In situ groundwater and sediment bioremediation Barriers and perspectives at European contaminated sites Majone, Mauro; Verdini, Roberta; Aulenta, Federico; Rossetti, Simona; Tandoi, Valter; Kalogerakis, Nicolas E.; Agathos, Spiros N.; Puig, Sebastia; Zanaroli, Giulio; Fava, Fabio Universita degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza; Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche; Polytechnion Kritis; Universite Catholique de Louvain; Universitat de Girona; Alma Mater Studiorum Universita di Bologna This paper contains a critical examination of the current application of environmental biotechnologies in the field of bioremediation of contaminated groundwater and sediments. Based on analysis of conventional technologies applied in several European Countries and in the US, scientific, technical and administrative barriers and constraints which still need to be overcome for an improved exploitation of bioremediation are discussed. From this general survey, it is evident that in situ bioremediation is a highly promising and cost effective technology for remediation of contaminated soil, groundwater and sediments. The wide metabolic diversity of microorganisms makes it applicable to an ever increasing number of contaminants and contamination scenarios. On the other hand, in situ bioremediation is highly knowledge intensive and its application requires a thorough understanding of the geochemistry, hydrogeology, microbiology and ecology of contaminated soils, groundwater and sediments, under both natural and engineered conditions. Hence, its potential still remains partially unexploited, largely because of a lack of general consensus and public concerns regarding the lack of effectiveness and control, poor reliability, and possible occurrence of side effects, for example accumulation of toxic metabolites and pathogens. Basic, applied and pre normative research are all needed to overcome these barriers and make in situ bioremediation more reliable, robust and acceptable to the public, as well as economically more competitive. Research efforts should not be restricted to a deeper understanding of relevant microbial reactions, but also include their interactions with the large array of other relevant phenomena, as a function of the truly variable site specific conditions. There is a need for a further development and application of advanced biomolecular tools for site investigation, as well as of advanced metabolic and kinetic modelling tools. These would allow a quicker evaluation of the bioremediation potential of a site, and in turn a preliminary assessment of the technical feasibility of the chosen bioprocess which could replace or at least reduce the need for time consuming and expensive field tests. At the same time, field tests will probably remain unavoidable for a detailed design of full scale remedial actions and the above reported tools will in any event be useful for a better design and a more reliable operation. 32 Published version https //www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1871678414000247 via%3Dihub EFB position paper Published article New Biotechnol 2015_32 1 133 146.pdf Articolo in rivista Elsevier Life Science 1871 6784 New biotechnology Print New biotechnology Print New biotechnology. Print valter.tandoi TANDOI VALTER simona.rossetti ROSSETTI SIMONA federico.aulenta AULENTA FEDERICO MINOTAURUS Microorganism and enzyme Immobilization NOvel Techniques and Approaches for Upgraded Remediation of Underground , wastewater and Soil TA.P07.017.002 Processi Aerobici e di Dealogenazione Riduttiva per la rimozione dei contaminanti dalle acque |
