Bacteria and other microbes can be used to clean up environmental pollutants through a process known as:

• A. fermentation
• B. bioremediation
• C. sterilization
• D. pasteurization

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the key terms provided in the problem: fermentation, bioremediation, sterilization, and pasteurization.
2. Recall that fermentation is a metabolic process where microbes convert sugars into alcohol or acids, typically used in food production, not pollutant cleanup.
3. Recognize that sterilization is a process to kill or remove all forms of microbial life, mainly for sterilizing equipment, not for cleaning pollutants.
4. Know that pasteurization is a heat treatment to reduce microbial load in food and beverages, not related to environmental cleanup.
5. Identify bioremediation as the use of bacteria and other microbes to degrade or detoxify environmental pollutants, making it the correct term for cleaning up pollutants.