Courses : Forest Ecology Lecturer :Frischa Adellia Semester : 4thSemester, 2022/2023 Session Definition of Biostimulation Biostimulation is a technique in the field of bioremediation which aims to increase the activity or growth of bioremediation organisms in polluted environments. This approach involves the administration of certain substances or environmental conditions that stimulate or increase metabolism, enzymatic activity, or the growth of microorganisms resulting in the degradation or detoxification of pollutants. Some examples of biostimulants commonly used in biostimulation are: 1. Nutrients: Providing nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium can increase the growth of certain microorganisms which have an important role in degrading certain pollutants. Nutrients can also increase the activity of enzymes involved in the bioremediation process. 2. Substrates: Organic substrates such as simple or complex carbon (e.g., glucose, amino acids, or organic acids) can be used as energy sources for bioremediation microorganisms, enhancing their growth and activity. 3. Supporting Microbes: The introduction or addition of microorganisms that have special abilities to degrade certain pollutants can also be a biostimulation strategy. These supporting microorganisms can increase the bioremediation capacity of the environment. 4. Heating or local heating: Increasing the temperature of soil or water locally can stimulate the activity of bioremediation microorganisms. This process is often used in in situ remediation techniques, such as thermal biostimulation, where the environmental temperature is increased to increase the rate of pollutant degradation. 5. Aeration: Increased air circulation or oxygenation in soil or water can improve environmental conditions for bioremediation microorganisms, which require oxygen for their aerobic metabolism. By using biostimulation, the activity of bioremediation microorganisms can be increased thereby speeding up the process of restoring polluted environments. This approach is often used in conjunction with other bioremediation methods, such as bioaugmentation or phytoremediation, to achieve optimal results in overcoming environmental pollution problems. The main function of biostimulation in the context of bioremediation is to increase the activity and efficiency of bioremediation organisms in cleaning polluted environments. Some of the key functions of biostimulation are as follows: 1. Increasing metabolic activity : Biostimulation stimulates the metabolic activity of bioremediation organisms by providing additional energy sources, such as nutrients or organic substrates. This accelerates the process of degradation or detoxification of pollutants in the environment. 2. Improving environmental conditions : Some biostimulants, such as heating or aeration, can improve environmental conditions, such as temperature, humidity, or oxygen availability, which are important for the growth and activity of bioremediation microorganisms. 3. Accelerates the growth of microorganisms: Biostimulation can stimulate the growth of populations of bioremediation microorganisms, either by accelerating cell division or by increasing population density. This can accelerate the rate of degradation of pollutants in the environment. 4. Increasing bioremediation efficiency: By increasing the activity and growth of bioremediation microorganisms, biostimulation can increase the overall efficiency of the bioremediation process. This can result in lower time and costs in cleaning up a polluted environment. 5. Supporting microbial communities : Biostimulation can also support the growth and activity of overall microbial communities in polluted environments. This can improve the diversity and stability of microbial ecosystems, which is important for the recovery of polluted environments. Thus, the main function of biostimulation in bioremediation is to increase the capacity of bioremediation organisms to clean polluted environments, thereby speeding up the recovery process and reducing the negative impacts of the pollution. In conclusion, biostimulation is an important approach in bioremediation technology which aims to increase the activity and efficiency of bioremediation organisms in cleaning polluted environments. By providing additional energy sources, such as nutrients or organic substrates, and stimulating environmental conditions that support the growth and activity of microorganisms, biostimulation can accelerate the process of degradation or detoxification of pollutants in the environment. Thus, biostimulation is an important strategy in bioremediation technology to achieve optimal results in cleaning polluted environments in an environmentally friendly and sustainable way.