2. Γιατί η Δοκιμή Πεδίου Είναι Απαραίτητη

In the laboratory, pollutants are often found in a soluble or accessible form, but in nature they may be trapped in soil particles or hidden in sediment layers. This makes them more difficult for microorganisms to "reach" and break down. This concept is known as bioavailability, which refers to the accessibility of a pollutant for microbial action.

For example, oil that is trapped in fine sediments after a spill is much more difficult to clean up than oil floating on water, because microorganisms cannot easily access it (Prince et al., 2013). During field tests, scientists must assess not only the ability of microorganisms, but also whether the pollution is physically available to be degraded.