2. BIOREMEDIATION Of HEAVY METALS (Copper; Cu)
Prepared by: Mohammad Sobri bin Abu Othman
&
Yoob Norismawandi bin Yoob Ismail

3. WHAT IS BIOREMEDIATION?
use of microorganisms or plants to detect, degrade or remove environmental pollutants from water, soil, and air (Science Communication Conference, 2002).
Use of living organisms, mainly microorganisms to degrade the environmental contaminants into less toxic forms (Vidali, 2001).
the application of biological processes principles to the treatment of ground, water, soil, and sludge contaminated with hazardous chemicals (N Abdullah, UTM).
the use of biological system for the reduction of pollutions from air, aquatic, or terrestrial system (Anjala Durgapal, Dept. of Botany - Uttrakhand).

4. Bioremediation can be divided into:
In situ – treatment of pollutants on site
Ex situ – removal of pollutants to be treated in other facilities
Bioventing:
is the most common in situ treatment
involves supplying air and nutrients through wells to contaminated soil to stimulate the indigenous bacteria.
employs low air flow rates and provides only the amount of oxygen necessary for the biodegradation.
In situ biodegradation:
involves supplying oxygen and nutrients
stimulate naturally occurring bacteria to degrade organic contaminants.
Biosparging:
involves the injection of air under pressure below the water table to
increase groundwater oxygen concentrations and enhance the rate of biological degradation of contaminants
by naturally occurring bacteria.

5. SOURCES OF HEAVY METAL (COPPER)
come from natural as well as artificial source
Natural sources- rock weathering
- Soil erosion
- dissolution of water soluble salts

6. Heavy metals are released to the river from numerous sources
Heavy metals are released to the river from numerous sources. Typical sources are municipal wastewater-treatment plants, manufacturing industries, mining, and rural agricultural cultivation and fertilization. Heavy metals are transported as either dissolved species in water or as an integral part of suspended sediments. Heavy metals may be volatilized to the atmosphere or stored in riverbed sediments. Toxic heavy metals are taken up by organisms; the metals dissolved in water have the greatest potential of causing the most deleterious effects.