Knowra Bioaugmentation Bioaugmentation Bioaugmentation is the deliberate addition of selected microorganisms to an environment or treatment system to improve contaminant breakdown or another biological process.
Biodegradation : The breakdown of substances by living organisms, often through enzymatic reactions. Bioaugmentation uses microbial metabolism to accelerate the breakdown of target contaminants.
Bioremediation : The use of organisms or biological processes to reduce or remove environmental contaminants. Bioaugmentation is one way to supply the organisms used in bioremediation.
Microorganism : An organism too small to be seen clearly without magnification, including bacteria, archaea, fungi, and protists. Bioaugmentation introduces microorganisms selected for a desired function.
Colonization resistance : The resistance of an established microbial community to invasion or expansion by newcomers. Resident communities can prevent augmented strains from establishing.
Natural attenuation : The reduction of contaminant concentration or toxicity through naturally occurring physical, chemical, and biological processes. It relies on processes already occurring, without deliberately adding microorganisms.
Biostimulation : The addition of nutrients or other conditions to stimulate microorganisms already present in an environment. It boosts native microbes rather than introducing selected strains.
Wastewater treatment : The treatment of wastewater to remove pollutants before reuse or release. Treatment plants may add specialist cultures to improve removal of particular pollutants.
Inoculum : A quantity of microorganisms introduced into a culture or other environment to initiate growth or activity. The inoculum is the microbial material added during bioaugmentation.
Microbial dormancy : A reversible low-activity state that allows microorganisms to persist through unfavorable conditions. An inoculated population may survive without remaining metabolically active.
Phytoremediation : The use of plants to remove, contain, or transform contaminants in soil, water, or air. It uses plants as the principal biological agent rather than added microbial cultures.
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