Final answer:
Air sparging, natural attenuation, bioventing, and soil vapor extraction are different methods used in environmental remediation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Air sparging is a method in which air is bubbled through groundwater to remove volatile organic pollutants. Natural attenuation is a process where natural processes break down the pollutants.
Bioventing is a method in which air is circulated through perforated pipes in the contaminated soil. Soil vapor extraction involves pumping air into or out of the soil to supply oxygen to microbes.
Bioremediation is a critical technique in environmental science that relies on biological processes, often using microbes, to clean up contaminated sites by degrading pollutants into less harmful substances.
Prokaryotic organisms, such as bacteria, are frequently utilized for this purpose due to their ability to metabolize a wide range of contaminants, including hydrocarbons and toxic metals.
Enhanced bioremediation methods may introduce additional non-native microbes or add nutrients and air to promote the degradation of contaminants.