BIOREMEDIATION OF POLLUTED KAMLA RIVER WATER BY PHYSICAL, BIOLOGICAL AND ECOLOGICAL PROCESSES

The increasing need for remediation of contaminated sites has led to the development of new technologies that emphasize on the biological detoxification anddestructionofthe(organic)contaminants.Bioremediationisamongthesetechnologiesthatdestroyorrenderharmlessvariouscontaminants,usingthebiologicalactivityofcertainmicroorganisms[1].Needlesstosaythatasbioremediationactuallyreliesonthemicrobialgrowthandactivity,itseffectivenessishighlydependentontheappliedenvironmentalparametersthatinfluencethemicrobialgrowthandthedegradationrate.Bioremediationtechnologiescanbeclassifiedintotwogeneralcategories:exsituandinsitu.Theexsitutechniquesarethosethatrequirethe physical removal of the contaminated material and its transportation to another area for further treatment, for example, by bioreactors, landfarming and composting. The insitute chnologies are those that involve treatment of contaminated material in place, for example, by bioventing, biostimulation and biopiling. Overall, bioremediation isconsideredasaverypromisingtechnologywithgreatpotentialwhendealingwithcertaintypesofcontaminatedsites.Sofar,ithasbeenusedatanincreasingnumberofsitesworldwide,includingEurope,withvaryingsuccess.Theapplicationofbioremediationandphytoremediationofferssignificantbenefitstoenvironmentalpollutionabatementand,moreimportantly,tohumanhealthhowever,theriskofadversehealtheffectsmaybepresentduetothevariabilityofcontaminantsandtheirpossiblebiotransformationtowardnotcontrolledmetabolites.Therefore,specificcontrolproceduresshouldalsotakeplace.