On the Utilization of Biological Methods in Groundwater Treatment

Biological water treatment has been used for more than a century. The processes involved, however, have not been optimally utilized, since knowledge about their character and significance has been insufficient. As conventional water purification techniques developed, the use of biological processes remained in the background until a few decades ago. However, at the moment several biological treatment methods are in use to remove iron and manganese from groundwater, and the future looks promising. The same methods can be used to improve numerous other water quality parameters, e.g. to oxidize reduced nitrogen compounds into nitrates. Biological removal of nitrate, too, will be a future water treatment method.