*Probiotics and Bioremediation DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.90093*

#### **Figure 2.**

*Microorganisms*

phenomenon of algal blooming (red tide), namely the plankton population explosion that was followed by mass death and caused a decrease in oxygen content due to algal respiration processes [27, 28]. As a result, fish become oxygen deficient or there is a blockage in the fish's respiratory organs (gills) by plankton. Besides causing economic losses because most of the fish that die suddenly cannot be utilized anymore, the remaining fish carcasses also pollute the environment due to their suboptimal handling. Potential economic loss of aquaculture sudden death in Cirata dam incident in 2013 is IDR 427,6 Billion or USD 28.5 Million [29]. For this reason, the use of probiotics for aquaculture aims not only at direct benefits for animals but also their effects on the fishing environment. There are two types of probiotic applications, first with direct feed (mixed into diet formulation) and secondly through the environment (mixed with water and/or sediment). Application of the first method can improve feed quality by adding additives in the form of probiotics containing beneficial microbes and decomposers into the feed that can function to improve feed quality by converting them into compounds that are more easily absorbed by the intestine thereby increasing feed digestibility. While the second application will improve the quality of the surrounding environment, e.g., decompose toxic substance such as ammonia, sulphide, fish excreta, also excess feed that potentially attract pathogens and other unwanted micro- and macroflora. Benefits

observed in probiotic supplementation in aquaculture include:

extent of the absorption area;

5.Increased immune response; and

3.Factors driving growth;

4.Pathogens inhibition;

must have key features such as:

2.Increased activity of digestive enzymes;

6.Improving the quality of fisheries water.

1.Able to be prepared on a large enough scale,

2.Remain stable and viable for a long time,

3.Good viability and growth, and

4.Give a positive impact on the host.

1.Increasing the nutritional value of food and its absorption by increasing the

Meanwhile, one way to improve soil environmental quality is by introducing microbes to the soil through compost. Making compost from organic materials, in the form of by-products of agricultural activities as well as household, market and municipal waste needs to be encouraged. More effective compost making technology can be done by using a starter or microbes that accelerates the decomposition of organic material which is beneficial for plants. Giving compost on agricultural land provides a double benefit, namely improving soil microbial composition and increasing soil organic matter content. In order to make effective use of microbes in improving agriculture, animal husbandry and fisheries, it is necessary to develop microbial cocktails for each species of plant, livestock or fish [30]. The cocktail

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*The relationship between probiotics and bioremediation on a broader scale.*

The working mechanism of bioremediation involves several technical aspects such as biotransformation, biodegradation, mineralization, phytohydraulics, bioaccumulation, and biovolatilization where the degrading microbes or plants remove, transform, modify, and/or convert a complex compound of pollutants into simpler and less toxic compounds. This bioremediation system has been successfully applied in cleaning contaminated sites, agricultural land, sediments, ground water, surface water, and sea water. Bioremediation through microorganisms generally involves the application of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria and fungi to restore the environment. Rhizoremediation is a remediation technique of soil contaminated pollutants by the action of plants (phytoremediation) and their symbiotic rhizosphere microbes. Plant growth-promoting microbes have been used for the restoration of infertile marginal land by increasing crop productivity. The application of probiotics on a broader scale is bioremediation. **Figure 2** shows the relationship between probiotics and bioremediation, where probiotics are defined as living microorganisms which, if given in sufficient quantities, provide health benefits to the host (humans, and/or animals), while bioremediation is augmentation or stimulation of microorganisms in sufficient quantities and manners, providing health benefits to the host (remediate or restoring polluted environment).
