The picture to the left shows The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill in 1989, in Prince William Sound, Alaska. This oil spill had a disastrous effect on the environment, spilling more than 11 million gallons of crude oil into the sea. This event may have had horrific results, but it also benefited us because it caused an increase in research and awareness for bioremediation. Since then, the process of bioremediation (and it's different methods) has been used to revive many other oil spills and
The picture to the left shows The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill in 1989, in Prince William Sound, Alaska. This oil spill had a disastrous effect on the environment, spilling more than 11 million gallons of crude oil into the sea. This event may have had horrific results, but it also benefited us because it caused an increase in research and awareness for bioremediation. Since then, the process of bioremediation (and it's different methods) has been used to revive many other oil spills and
contaminated sites.
(5.1)​
When the Exxon Valdez oil tanker ran aground on March 24, 1989, spilling 11 million gallons of oil into the waters off Alaska, the event triggered a wave of ecological devastation that continues to this day. This picture shows of two of the last two dozen remaining otters from the oil spill. (5.7)
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Another picture of the two otters.
Birds killed as a result of oil from the Exxon Valdez spill. (5.8)
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Seashells coated with oil, that was caused by the oil spill.
The following are other examples of contaminated sites that uses bioremediation to clean the soil and ground water.
BP Oil Spill
More than 200 million gallons of crude oil was pumped into the Gulf of Mexico over 87 days, making it the biggest oil spill in U.S. history. 16,000 total miles of coastline have been affected, including the coasts of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. Of the 400 miles of Louisiana coast, approximately 125 miles have been polluted by the oil spill. Over 8,000 animals (birds, turtles, mammals) were reported dead just 6 months after the spill, including many that were already on the endangered species list. Treating the oil spill with "in-situ burning," or burning the oil in a contained area on the surface of the water, produces negative effects on the environment, so the EPA decided to use microorganisms to decompose pollutants into simpler compounds. The process of microbes breaking substances down into water, CO2, and other compounds was then used at the BP Oil Spill and other oil spills in the future (5.2)
Slaughterhouses
Bioremediation is also used in slaughter houses to clean thier waste water. Wastewater generated from slaughterhouses will originate from two different sources. The first will be from the temporary holding pen, and the other will be from the slaughtering activities. Wastewater that is sent for further treatment will often contain balances of oils and fats together with grease, suspended solids, and of course, blood, which will largely contribute towards the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) value. Usually before it undergoes the treatment using the biological degradation process, the stream will have to be first diverted to the DAF unit so that the blood plus oil and grease constituents are reduced. If these are controlled well, expect at least 20 to 30% reduction of the original BOD value (5.3)
McDonald's
Fat has become the enemy of water authorities throughout the world, given the thousands of fat, oil and grease (FOG) related sewer spills that occur every year. When fat hardens, chunks break off and flow down the pipe and can jam in the machinery of underground pumps. That, to use a more digestible metaphor, can cause a municipal heart attack, resulting in particularly nasty sewer overflows and expensive call outs. Environmental Biotech wanted to clean up the FOG, so they tried experimenting with McDonald's by installing the Grease Eradication System (GES) at four McDonald's sites. The GES, relying on bioremediation, eliminated the waste, grease, and oil, safely and efficiently. Using billions of live vegetative bacteria that feed on FOG, it was introduced into pipe work and drains via an automated dosing system.The results of the trials were so successful that they have already encouraged other commercial premises to follow suit. (5.4)
Ben & Jerry's
Ben & Jerry's Homemade, Inc., operates a super premium ice cream manufacturing facility in Waterbury, Vermont. Ben & Jerry's waste is extremely high in strength. Biochemical oxygen demand concentrations are typically above 10,000 milligrams per liter (mg/L), and often exceed 20,000 mg/L., which also includes high amounts of butterfat (15% cream) and 13% egg yolks, which, added to the high amount of sugar, chocolate and fillers in the ice cream, the subsequent waste are also high soluble. The waste water is then flushed into a lagoon, resulting the lagoon to become heavy with solids. In 1987, Ben & Jerry's constructed an aerated lagoon pretreatment facility to reduce the waste being discharged into the Village of Waterbury, Vermont, the publicly owned treatment works. BioWorld Complete Waste and Odor Treatment® was added to the lagoon every 2 weeks, and after 8 weeks of treatment, the solids and two-inch crust layer had been digested and odors eliminated. (5.5) (5.6)​