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Using the word technology when describing bioremediation is a bit misleading.  The use of live and naturally occurring bacteria to consume pollutants resulting from industry is technology with a twist.

Rather than adding more chemicals and toxins into the process, some wastewater treatment technologies are using simple and natural approaches to solving the problem of polluted waters.

Bioremediation is defined as any process that uses microorganisms, bacteria, fungi, green plants or their enzymes to return the natural environment altered by contaminants to its original condition.  

Currently, there are only a handful of companies that are offering ‘industrial strength’ bioremediation solutions but interest in this method of treating wastewater is growing very rapidly.  In a world with an increasing population, limited natural resources and a growing middle class in developing countries (hairdryers, BigMacs, and yes, more cars), solving the problem of pollution naturally is vital.  

Industrial wastewater treatment technology isn’t a naturally occurring phenomenon.  Industrial wastewater collects in places like marine ports, oil excavation sites and diesel power plants just to name a few.

Industrial wastewater is a direct result of manmade industry and its literal byproducts.  However, a natural solution to the problem is now at hand and available to industries ranging from oil and medical waste, to food processing, feed lots and numerous other examples.  The name of this solution is ‘bioremediation.’

In his book, “Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television,” author, Jerry Mander writes about how he and his family were vacationing somewhere in Micronesia.  They were led on their tour of the islands by a native who spoke English very well.

At one point in the trip, Mander noticed that unlike all of the tourists who had been warned to wear thick-soled sneakers to avoid the venomous poison of a native starfish, the guide walked around barefoot.  Mander asked the guide why this was so, to which he answered, “If you step on one all you have to do is pick it up, turn it over, and place its underside directly on your wound. It will suck its own poison back out of you.”

Mander asked how the guide knew this to which he said, “Everybody around here knows that. Whenever there is something poisonous its antidote is never more than a few yards away. Everybody knows this. It’s the same everywhere.”  This local fisherman knew what we only too often forget about our problems; that the answer is oftentimes closer than we think.

Learn more about  Industrial wastewater treatment technology

A dramatic reduction in the country’s carbon footprint has been put at the forefront of the government’s agenda.  The government has allocated close to 50 billion dollars for the green industry with the interest of encouraging businesses, such as energy management software companies, to create environmentally friendly processes and products.

Individual states have also been giving out tax credits and rebates for individuals to want to install solar panels. Although many people are sincere in their intention to reduce their footprint, most are unaware of the actual amount of energy they use in their daily lives. Since they can not identify how much they use, it is difficult for them to determine where and how much they need to decrease.

Companies have identified this interesting phenomenon and created energy management software systems to help individuals and businesses understand how much energy they use.

The energy software systems monitor the various processes that use energy in a home or a business such as the HVAC, lighting systems, and electrical appliances. The energy management software systems can detect patterns or anomalies to the help the home or business owner identify areas where energy usage can be decreased.

For example, the energy management software can show the homeowner how much energy can be saved over a month if the temperature is increased or decreased by one degree and set optimal climate controls. A change in one degree of temperature will barely be noticed by the residents, however these energy management software recommendations create large long term energy savings.

The energy management software industry is a growing market. Although it was originally populated by smaller green tech companies, the large corporations are recognizing the importance of increasing consumer awareness and creating their own energy management software systems.

Microsoft, Google, and now GE have all created their own version of energy management software. However, even with the entrance of these heavyweights, small energy management software companies have retained a strong market presence as they offer systems that are customized to particular customers as well as 24/7 account managers that monitor the systems and ensure quality control.

Find out more about energy management software

To clean oil stains off your driveway has always been a tedious process. When it involves toxic products containing noxious chemicals, the process becomes all the more messy and hazardous.

To put an end to all such woes, Oil Gone Easy has come up with a unique solution, Home & Driveway S-200. The Journal Sentinel recently carried a feature by Karen Herzog on this product.

The article explains how the oil stain removal process takes place through bioremediation, which uses bacteria to break down the oil. Oil Gone Easy S-200 uses special nutrients that attract microorganisms to the spill and then break down the oil into byproducts such as water to clean oil stains.

All that is needed is to pour the solution on the stain and leave it for as long as possible to clean oil stains. The manufacturer recommends users to leave the solution on the stains for about a week in normal cases and for two weeks in case of heavy stains to effectively clean oil stains.

The news feature also states that the product works well on different surfaces, including driveways, concrete, garages, and even soil. There is no need of scrubbing and the clean up in not messy, like in the case of degreasers. After the oil stain removal, the solution degrades quickly and completely and there is neither any trace nor any odour of the solution. It is also a safe product and causes no harm to kids and pets.

Another fact that is in favour of Oil Gone Easy S-200 is that it’s waterproof. So it works even if it’s raining. The product was extensively used to clean up the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska. It is a completely viable product to clean oil stains and it is available by the quart for homeowners for $21.95 at www.oilgoneeasy.com.

Oil spills are a serious threat to the environment. The marine ecosystem, in particular, takes a serious pounding because of them. Several approaches have been used so far to deal with oil spill cleanups. The latest in the list is nanotechnology, which deals with structures of the size of 100 nanometers or smaller.

The idea of using a nano sponge for oil spill cleanups was first developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT.) It was found out that the thin membrane made from the dense web of potassium manganese oxide nanowires can be used as a tool to clean up oil spills and remove toxic contaminants from groundwater.

The absorbents used in the past for cleaning up oil spills, including natural absorbents like hay and cellulose as well as synthetic polymer-based solvents have been effective. But they tend to absorb water as well.

The mesh of the nanowires has tiny pores that are 10 nm wide and have the ability to absorb both water and oil. However, to keep the water off the surface, the membrane is coated with silicone to make it superhydrophobic. As a result, the oil moves up the pores whereas, the water drips off the surface.

Another factor in favor of using a nano sponge in cleaning up oil spills is that the operating cost is reduced to a great extent. It is also believed that it can be used several times. These inorganic nanowires differ from other hydrophobic structures, which were made of organic materials in their ability to handle high temperatures. While, nanowires can handle temperatures of up to 600 degree Celsius organic wires generally degrade.

The application of nanotechnology in oil spill cleanups is still in its early stages, but it is one for the future. Another green technology that comes to mind is bioremediation and a product that uses this concept effectively in cleaning up of oil spills is Oil Gone Easy S-200.