Advances in Biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons based pollutants by Microbes

Abstract

Petroleum hydrocarbons are the organic contaminants that accumulate in different ecosystems due to their hydrophobic nature and limited bioavailability, which have raised concerns about their release into the environment. Due to their carcinogenic and neurotoxic nature a serious threat has been posed to human and environmental health. But the removal of these pollutants from the environment is a challenging task. Conventional treatment techniques like mechanical and chemical approaches are expensive and inefficient for eliminating hydrocarbons from contaminated areas. Bioremediation is a significant approach for the remediation of petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated environments, using the natural biodegradation activity of microorganisms. Microorganisms that utilize petroleum hydrocarbons are prevalent in the environment. They naturally degrade pollutants and remove them from the environment. Biosurfactants lower surface tension, encourage emulsification, micelle formation, and make hydrocarbons bioavailable for microbial breakdown. So, utilising biosurfactant-producing bacteria can increase the effectiveness of bioremediation (Zhuang et al., 2022). This article provides an overview of bioremediation of petroleum hydrocarbon pollutants. Some crucial, but often overlooked factors which play a key role in the bioremediation are also elucidated. It also provides information about hydrocarbon metabolism in microorganisms with emphasis on new insights gained during the past couple of years. The main aim of this review is to provide a thorough understanding of the distinctive features of hydrocarbon microbiology that could be helpful in organizing further biodegradation studies. It also serves as a springboard for a broader discussion about the shortcomings and potential enhancements of the bioremediation techniques now in use.