Using microbes to detoxify a site contaminated with heavy metals is an example of:

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

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the key terms provided in the problem: sterilization, fermentation, bioremediation, and pasteurization.
2. Define sterilization: it is the process of killing or removing all forms of microbial life, typically to make an environment or object free of microbes.
3. Define fermentation: it is a metabolic process where microbes convert sugars into alcohol, acids, or gases, often used in food production.
4. Define pasteurization: it is a heat treatment process that reduces microbial load in food or liquids to make them safe for consumption without sterilizing them completely.
5. Recognize that using microbes to detoxify or clean up environmental contaminants, such as heavy metals, is a process called bioremediation, where microbes transform or remove pollutants from the environment.