Bioremediation: Microorganisms Cleaning the Environment
Processes (Continued)
Enyzmes' Roles in Mycoremediation
Mycoremediation uses fungi to detoxify and remove waste from the enivronment. These fungi possess special enyzmes that help aid in this process. The enzymes are able to degrade many varied pollutants; therefore, they're able to be applied in many situations. It is not only a bioremediation tool, but also a source of protein, or mycelium. As mushrooms provide a range of functions, it attracts many researchers to the point of cultivation and also waste remediation. Various publications state fungi remediates waste by the means of biodegradation, biosportion, and bioconversion. These enyzmes have been studied greatly, not only as a tool of bioremediation but as a product as well. (PR8)
Enyzmes' Roles in Phytoremediation
Plants produce many different types of enyzmes that are able to destroy complex contaminants. Plants have evolved their capabilities to breakdown these harmful toxic and extract essential nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Dr. Laura Carreira has isolated and characterized several plants enzymes and studied how they break down these pollutants. Phytoremediating requires contaminant-specific enzymes because various plant enzymes degradge different types of pollutants. The enyzme destroys the contaminant using stored plant enery or from molecular bonds that are broken within the process. (PR15)
Enyzmes' Roles in Bacterial Bioremediation
A serious problem of the real world is the pollution of soil and water by chemicals and hydrocarbons. The catechol dioxygenases serve as a part of the environmental protection. Dioxygenases primarily oxidize aromatic compounds and, therefore, have a role in environmental remediation. They are found in the soil bacteria and involved in the transformation of aromatic precursors into aliphatic products. Along with these enzymes, it also includes hydrolytic enzymes. Hydrolytic enzymes break major chemical bonds in the toxic molecules, reducing their toxicity. This mechanism is effective for the biodegradation of oil spill and insecticides. Extracellular hydrolytic enzymes such as amylases, proteases, lipases, and xylanase have many potential usage. Their function range from food industries, biomedical sciences, and chemical industries. (PR16)
Chemistry of Bioremediation
Bioremediation, whether it be due to oil-eating bacteria or other methods, employs chemistry to be effective. Bacteria eats at the carbon in oils which dismantles the bonds in molecules. Microbes can also use chemical contaminants as an energy source. After the use of the contaminant as an energy source, by-products are released in a less toxic form of their parent contaminants. Microorganisms must be at their optimal conditions in order to work at their full potential. (PR12)
Genetic Modifications
Bioremediation has employed the use of genetic engineering in order to make the use of microorganisms more efficient. Microbes can already manage to degrade biological waste, but using genetic engineering will only make this process more efficient and more cost-effective. The microbes can be artificially designed to consume toxic waste that they would not be naturally able to consume. This would be done by altering the genetic sequences of the microorganism and improve their ability to degrade the toxins of the pollutant. (PR14)
