Professional support
Our company provides full professional support to remediation companies and professionals in the planning, implementation and monitoring of bioremediation procedures on the area to be remediated.
Based on the results of the baseline assessment, we will propose the inoculant and the application of the Ferm&Go microbial product range for the contaminated area, including the optimisation of the amount of inoculant to be applied, its adaptation to the site and, if necessary, the selection and appropriate dosing of organic substrates, simple electron donors and acceptors suitable for biostimulation. Our team also assists in the field application of our microbial products.
To ensure the efficacy of our Ferm&Go inoculants, we regularly monitor the microbial processes in the field to ensure rapid and precise interventions, i.e. further optimisation of the delivery of biostimulants and/or bioaugmentation agents.
If required, we can provide support throughout the remediation project, including the selection and optimisation of the quantities of the appropriate inoculants and biostimulants, their application to the site, microbiological monitoring tests and a full professional analysis and interpretation of the data obtained (physical, chemical and microbiological).
With our Ferm&Go inoculants and the professional support we provide, our team aims to support the companies and professionals carrying out remediation projects, so that we can be effective in cleaning up our common habitat through effective remediation in the long term.
Microbial monitoring
Microbiological studies can be used to determine and characterise the metabolic strategies of the indigenous microorganisms in the area, the degradation conditions of the different types of compounds, all of which contribute to the degradation of the pollutant under the right stimuli. In both soils and groundwater, we can monitor the presence and quantitative changes of microorganisms applied with our Ferm&Go inoculants.
Microbiological tests (detection, identification and quantification of the microorganisms and genes involved in the degradation of the pollutant) are used to determine whether the site has microorganisms capable of degrading the pollutant (e.g. aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons and their halogenated derivatives), whose presence or absence influences the application of biostimulants and bioaugmentation agents, their release rate and the amount of their release.
Cultivation-based methods can be used to isolate members of the indigenous micro-organism community in the area capable of degrading contaminants by selective breeding and enrichment. Potential hydrocarbon-degrading organisms will be identified by the 16S rRNA gene. Following selective and enrichment culture, microorganisms capable of degrading the contaminant can be returned to the site, increasing the cell counts of the microorganism and thus contributing to more efficient contaminant degradation.
In artificial ecosystem selection experiments (microcosm tests), the degradation potential of the indigenous microbial community for a given pollutant is investigated. It is possible to test the compatibility (synergism or competition) of native organisms from the contaminated area with the Ferm&Go range of inoculants, also identifying possible inhibitory factors. We will investigate the effect of available organic and inorganic substrates, electron acceptors (oxygen, nitrite, nitrate, sulphate) on both the rate of degradation (gas chromatography) and the community composition (culture-independent molecular biology methods – see below).
Molecular biology methods (non-cultivation methods) are used to investigate the presence/absence (PCR-based detection) and quantification (quantitative PCR) of organisms or genes involved in the degradation of contaminants on a genomic nucleic acid (DNA and/or RNA) basis. Next generation sequencing (NGS) is used to identify community components present in contaminated sites and/or microcosm systems, which can be used to determine the presence/absence of organisms not directly involved in the degradation of the contaminant but supporting the metabolism of the microorganisms involved in the degradation. Thus, by stimulating microbes that play a direct and indirect role in the degradation process, more effective remediation can be achieved.
Development of site-specific incoula
If required, we can also create a site-specific inoculant using microbes from the contaminated area. Indigenous microbes are well adapted to local conditions so they can provide greater effectiveness.
It is important to note that a great percentage of indigenous soil microbes are pathogens, so simply propagating microbes from a local soil sample without selection would pose a significant environmental and health risk, hence it is not recommended.
In the development of site-specific vaccines, we select and genetically identify microbes and test the degradation ability of harmless bacteria to produce specific vaccines.
This thorough scientific process ensures that our site-specific vaccines not only effective, but also safe to use.
Since 2013, our company has been manufacturing, continuously developing and achieving field application of aerobic and anaerobic bioaugmentation agents suitable for the microbiological remediation of contaminations caused by aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons and their halogenated derivatives.
Our team has expertise and a suitable equipment park to isolate and enrich hydrocarbond-degrading microorganisms and microbial communities under laboratory conditions, and subsequently, by increasing the fermentation scale, to produce the appropriate amount of inoculant selected for the area.
The company currently has three certified bioaugmentation agents, of which Ferm & Go 2PT and 3P can be applied for bioremediation of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, and Ferm & Go 1V for short-chain chlorinated hydrocarbons.
Overview
The increasing industrial, agricultural and military activities with the application of various chemical products has caused serious environmental damage in our country and all over the world to these days. Due to irregular and uncontrolled treatment and improper storage, the well-known crude oil pollution, as well as the aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons and their halogenated derivatives penetrated to soils and groundwater causing serious environmental and public health damage, endangering drinking water sources. The remediation of these highly toxic compounds is of utmost importance, since 70% of drinking water in Hungary originates from underground sources. The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) (e.g., anthracene, phenanthrene, benzopyrene) occurring in flue gases, in the vicinity of oil refineries, oil pipelines, or during forest burning are characterized by low degradability and resistance, which contributes their significant environmental pollution potential. Among the halogenated hydrocarbons the short-chain aliphatic chlorinated hydrocarbons (perchloroethene, trichloroethene, dichloroethenes, vinyl-chloride, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, dichloromethane and chloromethane etc.) are on of the most common groundwater pollutants. Microorganisms have diverse metabolic potential to degrade naturally occurring organic compounds, including certain anthropogenic pollution. The microbial activity is significantly influenced by the properties of soil, the physico-chemical parameters of the groundwater and, last but not least, the type of pollution. The ability to degrade aliphatic, aromatic and polyaromatic hydrocarbons are widespread among the microorganisms, which is characteristic of various groups of bacteria and fungi such as the members of genera Acinetobacter, Achromobacter, Arthrobacter, Micrococcus, Nocardia, Pseudomonas, Vibrio, Brevibacterium, Corynebacterium, Flavobacterium, Candida, Rhodotorula és Sporobolomyces. It should be noted that none of the microorganisms capable to degrade the entire spectrum of these various chemical compounds, thus the complex contamination containing petroleum, PAH, BTEX and their composites, which only can be completely degraded by diverse microbial communities characterized with different enzymes playing a role in hydrocarbon degradation. Short-chain chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons (perchloroethene, trichloroethene, dichloroethenes, vinyl-chloride) can be reduced by the member of genus Dehalococcoides as the only group of microorganisms capable of the complete dechlorination of chlorinated ethenes to non-toxic ethene under anaerobic conditions. The presence of these organisms is essential for complete reductive dechlorination including biological remediation. Microbial communities capable of reductive dechlorination significantly contribute to the reduction and elimination of contamination caused by the chlorinated ethenes through natural attenuation and bioaugmentation.
Bioremediation, Bioaugmentation, Remediation with bacteria, TCE pollution, PCE pollution, DCE pollution, TPH pollution, PAH pollution, Dehalococcoides
Bioremediation, Bioaugmentation, Remediation with bacteria, TCE pollution, PCE pollution, DCE pollution, TPH pollution, PAH pollution, Dehalococcoides
Professional support for bioaugmentation
Our company provides comprehensive professional support to remediation companies and specialists to plan the proper application of the bioaugmentation process applicable to the contaminated area. If required, we provide assistance already in the planning phase in assessing the possibility of in situ microbiological remediation. The comprehensive (physical, chemical, microbiological) investigation of contaminated soils and groundwater based on polyphasic methods significantly facilitate the selection of the most appropriate bioremediation technology and bioaugmentation agents, thereby ensuring its efficiency and effectiveness. Based on the conditions of the contaminated area we can recommend the appropriate bioaugmentation agent from our Ferm&Go products and it’s the most suitable application, including the optimization of its quantity and adaptation to field conditions. In addition, if required, we can manage the selection and optimization of the appropriate organic substrates, electron-donors, electron-acceptors which are suitable for biostimulation process are. Our team also provides assistance in field application of our bioaugmentation agents. To ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of Ferm&Go products the microbial activity taking place in field conditions is monitored at regular intervals using molecular biological methods, which provides the opportunity to perform quick and precise intervation, thus further optimizing of the amount and dosage of the biostimulation and/or bioaugmentation agents. Upon request, we undertake to accompany the remediation project throughout, which includs the selection and quantitative optimization of the appropriate bioaugmentaion and biostimulation agents, their field application and the microbial monitoring, and we also provide assistance in comprehensive analysis and interpretation of the received data (physical, chemical, microbiological).
The main aim of our team is to provide a unique bioremediation approach and professional consultancy to the remediation companies and specialists dealing with the application of our Ferm&Go products, thereby effectivly in eliminating pollutants from our environment applying bioremediation.
Microbiological methods
Applying microbiological methods, the autochthonous microbial communities and their metabolisms as well as the degradation conditions of various compounds in contaminated fields can be determined. The members of the microbial communities and their quantity originated from Ferm&Go products can be monitored in soil and groundwater. By the application of microbial methods (detection, identification and quantification of contaminant-degrading microorganisms and the genes playing a role in the degradation), the autochthonous microbial community characterized with degradation potential of the field contaminant (e.g.: aliphatic, aromatic hydrocarbons and their halogenated derivatives) can be determined, so the presence or the absence the contaminant-degrading microorganisms affects the application and quantity of biostimulation and bioaugmentation agents.
Chemical measurement (e.g. gas chromatography) can be applied to detect the actual pollutants and their concentration under field conditions. The parameters affecting microbial activity (available electron donors and acceptors) are assessed by measuring the physico-chemical parameters of the groundwater. In case of microbiological methods polyphasic analyses are preformed using cultivation based and molecular biological methods to monitor the effect of the bioaugmentation process. The hydrocarbon-degrading autochthonous microbial community of the field is isolated and enrich using cultivation based microbiological methods. The hydrocarbon-degrading microorganisms are identified based on 16S rRNA gene. After the selective enrichment the hydrocarbon-degrading microorganisms can be returned to their field of origin contributing to enhanced microbial cell count values and the more effective contaminant degradation. The contaminant degradation potential of the autochthonous microorganisms and/or microbial communities are investigated using microcosms experiments. As possibility, the compatibility of the autochthonous microorganisms from the contaminated site with the Ferm&Go products can be investigated, including the identification of possible inhibiting factors. The effect of available organic and inorganic substrates, electron acceptors (oxygen, nitrite, nitrate, sulphate) on both the rate of degradation (gas chromatography) and the microbial community composition (culture-independent molecular biology methods – see below) are investigated.
Cultivation independent molecular microbiological methods are applied to monitor presence or absence the microorganisms and their related genes playing a role in hydrocarbon degradation, and quantification of the microorganisms. Next generation sequencing method is applied to identify the microbial community members present in contaminated soils and/or microcosms, moreover the presence or absence the microorganism not directly involved in the decomposition processes but supporting the metabolism of the microbes involved in the hydrocarbon degradation can be detected. Thus, by stimulating the microbes that involved direct and indirect in the decomposition, more efficient remediation can be achieved.