BACTERIA-MEDIATED DEGRADATION OF PETROLEUM HYDROCARBON CONTAMINANTS: AN OVERVIEW

One of the major environmental problems is hydrocarbon pollution. Hydrocarbons are mostly the result of petroleum based activities. Anthropogenic activities, natural seepage and accidental spills are of particular interest in the environmental quality. The health effects of these chemicals are widely known. In the hour of alarming pollution by these hydrocarbons, a newer, cheaper, and safer technology is needed for cleanup, moving beyond the conventional mechanical and chemical methods, which are not only expensive but ineffective also. Bioremediation is a promising technology, functioning on complete mineralization of contaminants by the diverse metabolic processes owned by microorganisms. Many indigenous and genetically modified bacteria are capable of crude oil degradation. This paper presents an updated overview of petroleum hydrocarbon degradation by bacteria.