<< Return to News

Bioaugmentation 101

What is bioaugmentation?

The word “bioaugmentation” can be broken down into two parts: -bio and -augmentation. Together, they describe the process of adding helpful, pre-selected bacterial strains that were isolated from a specific environment (biology) to enhance (augment) an existing microbial community.

 

Why are bioaugmentation products used?

Just like you and I, not every species and strain of bacteria are good at everything. We all have a unique set of talents and abilities. Bioaugmentation products are used when you want to improve an aspect of an environment biologically (i.e., eliminate foul bathroom odor, digest complex hydrocarbons in soil, reduce wastewater sludge). And while the existing community of bacteria are good at certain things, when we introduce specific strains that are better than others, we can make the entire population more efficient.

For example, in wastewater treatment, while the existing community may be good at breaking down specific substrates, the addition of Bacillus has been shown to significantly reduce fats, oils, and grease (FOG), sludge, odors, COD/BOD, suspended solids, the chance for system upsets, and more.

 

How do the bacteria within bioaugmentation products work with the existing microbial community?

It is vital to note that rather than taking over the system, the added bacteria in bioaugmentation products work to strengthen the capabilities of the entire community. They play just a small part in the microbial ecosystem as a whole.

With bioaugmentation, species of bacteria are introduced that have the metabolic pathways to break down specific compounds into digestible pieces either for themselves or for the preestablished microbial population. With more accessible food, the added and existing population work together.

 

How does MDG use bioaugmentation?

It’s our mission to harness the power of biology to make the world a better place, which is why our R&D work spans across SEVEN different markets. CLICK HERE to learn more about these various industries and how we’re helping our customers solve complicated challenges through bioaugmentation and beyond.

Markets We Serve

Search Insights
Recently Posted Insights

Upcoming Webinar: Overcoming Odors with Microbial Cleaning Products

Odor reduction and prevention are essential to maintaining cleanliness in industrial and institutional applications. In our upcoming webinar, we will dive into the science behind how microbial-based cleaners mitigate odors and provide long-term solutions for your...

The Science Behind the Stink

Odors are everywhere: from tiled surfaces to carpets, from portable toilets to pet waste. When you’re creating microbial products to combat odors, you want to offer solutions specific to the challenges your customers are facing. This means diving into the “science...

MDG Selected as a 2024 Wisconsin Innovation Award Finalist

We are proud to have been recognized as a finalist for the 2024 Wisconsin Innovation Awards! This annual award is given to companies and individuals across multiple business sectors who are developing groundbreaking ideas and driving innovation in the state of...

MDG: Your Key Partner for Probiotic Ingredients

At MDG, our foundation is Real Science. We have over twenty years of experience creating Bacillus-based solutions for our customers across various markets, and we stand behind the ingredients we produce. As the Human Health market grows, our emphasis on research and...

MDG’s Trusted Process in Developing Probiotic Ingredients

We apply our Trusted Process to everything we do, and we customize the individual steps for each market we work in. In the human health market, for example, the process of developing and manufacturing high-quality probiotic ingredients may look different from our...

Planning Ahead: Start Early with Your Custom Fermentation Partner

At MDG, we are dedicated to helping you scale up your bacterial ingredients efficiently and economically so you can find success in your microbial product lines. The process of formulating those product lines can include quite a few steps. You need to identify your...

MDG’s Wastewater Team Attends WEFTEC 2024

We are excited to announce our attendance at WEFTEC 2024, the largest annual water quality event in North America, taking place October 5–9 in New Orleans. As leaders in bioaugmentation with Bacillus, we will be showcasing our innovative solutions designed to improve...

Optimize Water Quality with Bioaugmentation: MDG Webinar Recap

As experts in Bacillus, we’re dedicated to teaching our partners and potential customers about bioaugmentation and its benefits in the wastewater industry. Throughout the year, our microbiologists and technical support leads host webinars on a wide range of topics,...

Under the Microscope with Praful Aggarwal

At MDG, Real Science matters; it is our foundation. Our teams conduct rigorous, market-informed research and development while innovating new solutions for our partners. Let’s hear from Praful Aggarwal about what it’s like to be an Associate Research Scientist at MDG....

Related News