Biodegradation

thumb|270px|Simple sketch of household biogas plant

thumb|Trinitrotoluene spin view

thumb|Yellow slime mold growing on a bin of wet paper

Bioaccumulation is the gradual accumulation of substances, such as pesticides or other chemicals, in an organism. Bioaccumulation occurs when an organism absorbs a substance faster than it can be lost or eliminated by catabolism and excretion. Thus, the longer the biological half-life of a toxic substance, the greater the risk of chronic poisoning, even if environmental levels of the toxin are not very high. Bioaccumulation, for example in fish, can be predicted by models. Hypothesis for molecular size cutoff criteria for use as bioaccumulation potential indicators are not supported by data. B

The enzymatic release of energy from inorganic and organic compounds (especially carbohydrates and fats) which uses compounds other than oxygen (e.g. nitrate, sulfate) as the terminal electron acceptor.

right|thumb|300px|Thermophiles produce some of the bright colors of Grand Prismatic Spring, [[Yellowstone National Park]] A thermophile is a type of extremophile that thrives at relatively high temperatures, between . Many thermophiles are archaea, though some of them are bacteria and fungi. Thermophilic bacteria are suggested to have been among the earliest bacteria.

biochemical modification of drugs or foreign compounds by living organisms

A mesophile is an organism that grows best in moderate temperature, neither too hot nor too cold, with an optimum growth range from . The optimum growth temperature for these organisms is 37 °C (about 99 °F). The term is mainly applied to microorganisms. Organisms that prefer extreme environments are known as extremophiles. Mesophiles have diverse classifications, belonging to two domains: Bacteria, Archaea, and to kingdom Fungi of domain Eukarya. Mesophiles belonging to the domain Bacteria can either be gram-positive or gram-negative. Oxygen requirements for mesophiles can be aerobi

method of body disposal

thumb|Microbial hydrogen production. Biohydrogen is H2 that is produced biologically. Interest is high in this technology because H2 is a clean fuel and can be readily produced from certain kinds of biomass, including biological waste. Furthermore some photosynthetic microorganisms are capable of producing H2 directly from water splitting using light as energy source.

Biotransformation is the biochemical modification of one chemical compound or a mixture of chemical compounds. Biotransformations can be conducted with whole cells, their lysates, or purified enzymes. Increasingly, biotransformations are effected with purified enzymes. Major industries and life-saving technologies depend on biotransformations.

gas produced naturally within marshes, swamps and bogs

a species of clinically significant Gram-negative, facultatively-anaerobic, rod-shaped bacterium

interment of the body of a dead person in the soil in a manner that does not inhibit decomposition but allows the body to recycle naturally

funeral process

biodegradable product

Alcanivorax is a genus of alkane-degrading marine bacteria.

species of bacterium

Oxo-degradation refers to the breakdown mechanism caused by heat, light or oxygen on plastics that contain additives that accelerate the process of breaking them into smaller fragments called microplastics. These plastics contrast biodegradable or compostable plastics, which decompose at the molecular or polymer level. Oxo-degradable plastics are currently banned in the EU, but are still permitted in other jurisdictions such as the UK.