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Not all contaminants are readily treated through the use of bioremediation; for example, heavy metals such as cadmium and lead are not readily absorbed or captured by organisms. The integration of metals such as mercury into the food chain may make things worse as organisms bioaccumulate these metals.

However, there are a number of advantages to bioremediation, which may be employed in areas which cannot be reached easily without excavationSouthwark, London by the Museum of London Excavation is the best-known and most commonly used technique within the science of archaeology. Individual excavations are normally referred to simply as "digs" by those who participate, this being an over-litera. For example, hydrocarbonIn chemistry, a hydrocarbon is an organic compound consisting only of carbon and hydrogen. They all consist of carbon backbone and atoms of hydrogen attached to that backbone, also aliphatic hydrocarbons. For example, methane ( swamp gas) is a hydrocarbon spills (or more specific: gasoline) may contaminate groundwaterGroundwater is any water found below the land surface. It is found in aquifers, in the pore spaces of rocks, in unconsolidated sediments, as permafrost, and as soil moisture. Groundwater flows to the surface naturally at springs and seeps and can form oas well below the surface of the ground; injecting the right organisms, in conjunction with oxygenOxygen is the chemical element in the periodic table that has the symbol O and atomic number 8. The element is very common, found not only on Earth but throughout the universe. Molecular oxygen (O, often called free oxygen on Earth is thermodynamically un-forming compounds, may significantly reduce concentrationThis page refers to concentration in the chemical sense. For the psychological concept of concentration, see attention. For the game show of the same name, see concentration (game show). Concentration is a very common concept used in chemistry and relateds after a period of time. This is much less expensive than excavation followed by burial elsewhere or incinerationIncineration is the process of destroying something unwanted through fire. Incineration is carried out both on a small scale by individuals, and on a large scale by industry. Material can be simply burned while sitting on the ground or in a pit, although, and reduces or eliminates the need for pumping and treatment, which is a common practice at sites where hydrocarbons have contaminated groundwater.

Generally, bioremediation technologies can be classified as in situ or ex situ. In situ bioremediation involves treating the contaminated material at the site while ex situ involves the removal of the contaminated material to be treated elsewhere. Some examples of bioremediation technologies are bioventing , land farming , bioreactor, composting, bioaugmentation and biostimulation .

See also: remediation, phytoremediation, Dutch standards