Bioremediation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAHs): A Perspective

Abstract

Hydrocarbon pollution is a perennial problem not only in India but throughout the globe. A plethora of microorganisms have been reported to be efficient degraders of these recalcitrant pollutants. One of the major concerns of environmental problem is the presence of hydrocarbons due to the various anthropogenic activities. PAHs are ubiquitous in nature i.e. present in soil, water and air. Presence of PAHs in environment creates problem as their presence have deleterious effect on human and animals. They also have the ability to cause the tumors in human and animals. Some of the microorganisms are capable of transforming and degrading these PAHs and remove them from the environment. The present review describes about the sources, structure, fate and toxicity of PAHs as well as different bioremediation techniques involved in the removing of contaminants from the environment which are efficient and cost-effective. The conventional approaches used for removal of PAH are not only environment friendly but also are able to reduce the risk to human and ecosystem.