Purchase Solution

What is bioremediation? How is it beneficial or harmful?

Not what you're looking for?

Ask Custom Question

Please help me understand at least two ways the use of bioremediation can benefit society and two ways that it could be harmful.

Purchase this Solution

Solution Summary

In this solution I define bioremediation and then speak to the benefits of using the method and the potential harms. I cite specific hypothetical examples.

Solution Preview

Hi,

Let's start by defining bioremediation: Bioremediation is any process which uses organisms (typically microorganisms, fungus, plants, or algae) or some component from the organism (i.e. enzymes) to return an environment to its natural state. Below I've listed just a few benefits and harms of bioremediation, along with some examples to get you thinking about further pluses and minuses of this technique.

How is bioremediation beneficial?

Bioremediation removes contaminants from an environment. The contamination was likely deleterious to the ecosystem and to public health, so by removing the contaminates, bioremediation can improved 1) public health, and 2) an ecosystem, including the ecosystem resources human society depends on (for example, clean water or ...

Purchase this Solution


Free BrainMass Quizzes
Biochemistry Basics

A refresher quiz to test your knowledge of basics concepts of biochemistry.

Basic Immunology Quiz

Intro to immuno quiz. Covers the basics of immunology and recognition of foreign substances by the body.

How Much Do You Know About Genetic Inheritance?

Most of us studied the basics of dominant and recessive genes at some point. However, genetics are much more complicated than this. How far beyond the basics does your knowledge go?

Nerves and the Nervous System

This quiz will assess your knowledge of the nervous system and how nerves send signals around the body.

Vision and Oculomotor Control

This quiz will test the student's knowledge of the neural underpinnings of the visual system and its central pathways.