ReviewMicrobial degradation of petroleum hydrocarbons

- Petroleum hydrocarbon pollutants are classified as persistent organic pollutants.
- These pollutants pose adverse effects on human and environmental health.
- Combat environmental pollution due to hydrocarbon pollutants is big issue for scientists.
- Biodegradation is an eco-friendly and economic method to control hydrocarbon pollution.
- Oleophilic microorganisms can be used for oil spill bioremediation.

Petroleum hydrocarbon pollutants are recalcitrant compounds and are classified as priority pollutants. Cleaning up of these pollutants from environment is a real world problem. Bioremediation has become a major method employed in restoration of petroleum hydrocarbon polluted environments that makes use of natural microbial biodegradation activity. Petroleum hydrocarbons utilizing microorganisms are ubiquitously distributed in environment. They naturally biodegrade pollutants and thereby remove them from the environment. Removal of petroleum hydrocarbon pollutants from environment by applying oleophilic microorganisms (individual isolate/consortium of microorganisms) is ecofriendly and economic. Microbial biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbon pollutants employs the enzyme catalytic activities of microorganisms to enhance the rate of pollutants degradation. This article provides an overview about bioremediation for petroleum hydrocarbon pollutants. It also includes explanation about hydrocarbon metabolism in microorganisms with a special focus on new insights obtained during past couple of years.

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