Bioremediation of Soil from Petroleum Contamination

Abstract

Petroleum is the most common global fossil fuel. It is a complex multi-component system mainly composed of various hydrocarbons such as alkanes, cycloalkanes, mono-, bi- and polyaromatic compounds, resins and asphaltenes. In spite of humanity’s need for petroleum, it negatively affects the environment due to its toxicity. The ecological problem is especially serious at petroleum mining sites or during petroleum transportation. Since it is not possible to replace petroleum with less toxic fuel, ways to reduce the toxic impact of petroleum hydrocarbons on the environment need to be developed. This review addresses bioremediation, a biological approach to petroleum degradation, which is mainly performed by microbes. The pathways of degradation of alkanes, alkenes and aromatic hydrocarbons are presented in detail. The effects of temperature, aeration and the presence of biogenic elements on microbial degradation of petroleum are discussed. Plant–microbe interactions involved with the bioremediation of petroleum-polluted soils are specifically addressed. The data presented in this review point to the great potential of bioremediation practices for cleaning soils of petroleum.

The Influence of Crops on the Content of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Soil Fertilized with Manure and Mineral Fertilizers

“…Numerous factors can influence the rate and extent of PAH biodegradation in soil [ 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 ], including organic matter content, nutrient content, fertilization, C:N:P ratio, microbial counts, electron acceptors, temperature, moisture, pH, and oxygen concentration. PAHs are removed from soil both with [ 42 ] and without microbial involvement [ 43 ]. They usually undergo two-stage degradation.…”

Influence of Bacteria of the Genus Pseudomonas on Leguminous Plants and Their Joint Application for Bioremediation of Oil Contaminated Soils

“…To study the effect of growth-stimulating bacteria on plant growth, including under oil pollution, we used bacterial strains of Pseudomonas koreensis IB-4 (VKM B-2830D) and P. laurentiana ANT 17 that are kept in the collection of the Ufa Institute of Biology. Previously, the authors isolated these microorganisms from arable soil (Russia, Republic of Bashkortostan, Mechetlinskii district) ( P. koreensis IB-4), and from activated sludge biological treatment facilities of an oil refinery (Russia, Orenburg region, city of Orsk) ( P. laurentiana ANT 17) [ 22 , 23 ]. Bacteria were grown on King B liquid nutrient medium (g/L) [ 68 ] for 72 h at a temperature of 28 °C.…”

“…Hydrocarbons are recognized as the main environmental pollutants [ 23 ]. Bioremediation is an effective option for restoring oil-polluted ecosystems using the degradation capabilities of plants and microorganisms.…”

Strategies for Bioremediation of Soil from an Industrial Site Exposed to Chlorinated and Nitroaromatic Compounds

“…Bioaugmentation increases the abundance of microorganisms with a specific phenotype while biostimulation increases the microorganism' activity, which can enhance the rate of degradation (Hazen et al 2003; Schroll et al 2004; Bento et al 2005; Menendez‐Vega et al 2007; Haritash and Kaushik 2009). Bioremediation of organic contaminants in soil is an established technology and widely applied worldwide (Brown et al 2017; Stepanova et al 2022; Zhou et al 2023).…”