Biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbon polluted soil

Abstract

Crude oil contributes a major percentage to the source of energy used on earth, however, hydrocarbon components have been classified to the family of carcinogens and neurotoxic organic pollutants. The inappropriate drilling, transportation, and usage lead to the increment of soil, air, and water body petroleum hydrocarbon pollution. If this menace is not put in check as a matter of urgency, it can cause an epidemic outbreak in an affected community, shortage in agriculture produces output, threatening of soil useful microbial biome and environmental disaster. Bioremediation as promising modern biotechnology is capable of mineralizing hydrocarbon pollutants into water, carbon dioxide, cell proteins, and an inorganic compound. Indigenous or genetically modified microbes are able to secrete enzymes for the synthesis of biosurfactants that break down organic pollutants into a less toxic form. Bioremediation is not only potent in degrading organic pollutants, but it is also environmentally friendly and cheap compared to other non-natural methods. Therefore, this paper combined and presents a review of empirical researches done on microbial bioremediation of petroleum hydrocarbons pollutants in different countries.