Can Microorganisms Reduce Landfill Contaminants?
Scientists who investigate environmental contamination problems are interested in an environmental cleanup approach known as natural attenuation. Natural attenuation refers to naturally occurring physical, chemical, and biological processes that can reduce concentrations of contaminants. In most contaminated aquifers, one aspect of natural attenuation involves the degradation of contaminants by microorganisms, which in some instances prevents contaminant migration. These microorganisms are naturally present in aquifers, even deep below the surface of the earth. Natural attenuation can be a better alternative for remediation of certain types of contaminants compared to other methods of remediating contaminated ground water. Natural attenuation can be less expensive and more effective than other methods, such as extracting contaminated ground water with wells and treating it at water treatment plants. Much of the research at the Norman Landfill Environmental Research Site investigates di
