Bioremediation an Introduction

Ancient Origins: Around 600 BC, the Romans employed big pits and tanks to treat wastewater, depending on microbiological activity to eliminate pollutants. 
 The idea of employing microbes to purify soil tainted with petroleum compounds was first proposed in the early 1900s. 
 Scientific Progress: In the 1940s, researchers realized that microorganisms could break down petroleum hydrocarbons. 
 The use of microorganisms to clean up spills began in the 1970s when microbiologists discovered that tainted water contained microorganisms capable of breaking down hydrocarbons.

bioremediation techniques in the 1980s and 1990s, including in-situ approaches like biostimulation and bioaugmentation. 
Late 20th century: Bioremediation gained acceptance as a site remediation technique and was used more frequently in cleanup operations. 
Current Uses:
Oil Spills: Large-scale oil spill cleaning, such as the Deepwater Horizon disaster in 2010, has made use of bioremediation. 
Sites Contaminated: Hydrocarbons, metals, and other organic compounds are among the pollutants that can be removed from sites via bioremediation. 
Wastewater Treatment: Both conventional and more sophisticated approaches, such as engineered wetlands, still employ bioremediation