Last week, I was doing some research in in-situ bioremediation techniques and I came across with a review article by Cecconet et al. 2020, about an emerging method that I found fascinating: bioelectrochemical systems(BESs).

The idea is simple: imagine giving subsurface native microbes the push they need to clean contaminated groundwater. Create an unlimited source of energy for existing microorganisms by placing electrodes directly into the aquifer. Then, these microorganisms use this energy to effectively exchange electrons and reduce or degrade contaminants such as nitrates and petroleum hydrocarbons, respectively. In other words, BESs turns a polluted aquifer into an underground self-cleaning biological reactor, where microbes do the cleanup and electrodes provide the energy for it.