Final answer:
Bioremediation is the use of living organisms to clean up polluted sites, which can be performed on-site (in situ) or by removing contaminated materials (ex situ). It represents an environmentally friendly approach to pollution cleanup, making it a preferred method for restoring compromised areas.
Step-by-step explanation:
For environmentally compromised sites with water pollution, the method that could be used for cleanup and potential reuse is bioremediation. This process involves the use of organisms such as plants, bacteria, and fungi to remove or neutralize pollutants from a contaminated site. Bioremediation is recognized by the United States EPA as a treatment that uses naturally occurring organisms to break down hazardous substances into less toxic or non-toxic substances.
Bioremediation can occur in two primary forms: in situ bioremediation, which takes place at the site of contamination without moving the contaminated materials, and ex situ bioremediation, which involves the removal of the contaminated material to be treated elsewhere. Enhanced bioremediation techniques might include the addition of nutrients or air to promote the growth of pollution-degrading microbes or the addition of non-native microbes known for their ability to degrade contaminants.
Specifically, an example of bioremediation at work would be using plants to remove toxic metals from soils after a mining operation, which can lead to the rehabilitation of the site for future use.