Bioremediation is based on the use of microorganisms or plants to remove pollutants from the environment. Microorganisms (bacteria, archaea, fungi) are, in turn, able to remove pollutants through specific metabolic processes. The use of bio-molecular markers allows the detection and monitoring of these metabolisms in polluted environments.

Biological remediation technologies rely on the abilities of certain microbial groups to degrade pollutants in the environment. Biological remediation techniques often aim to stimulate the native microbial community (biostimulation) through the addition of oxygen, soil conditioners, surfactants, etc. However, the technological choice must be guided by the degradative potential of the microbial community of the site at hand.

Using molecular biology techniques, degradative microbial groups present in the polluted matrix can be identified and quantified. Each molecular marker (marker gene) will be specific to a given degradative process. The use of specific markers for each degradative process allows a higher degree of accuracy in the technological choice, with a net economic saving in the remediation project. M3R devotes part of its capital to the development of new molecular markers. M3R devotes part of its capital to the development of new molecular markers.