In Situ Aerobic Bioremediation of Sediments Polluted with Petroleum Hydrocarbons: A Critical Review

Abstract

Oil pollution has been a worldwide concern especially in environments where treatment is quite difficult to apply. Marine polluted sediments, in particular, constitute one of the most recalcitrant environments for bioremediation and are often the final repository of petroleum contaminants, as a result of runoff and deposition. Aerobic hydrocarbon degraders present in the sediments are tackling the pollution under oxygen-limited or oxygen-depleted conditions. Research has focused on new ways to enhance bioremediation under anoxic conditions, however aerobic bioremediation is faster, and hence more effort should be made to sustain oxygen concentration levels. In this review, the different bioremediation techniques used for the decontamination of marine sediments are briefly discussed, and focus is primarily given to the different oxygenation methods used for enhancing aerobic bioremediation and the aeration methods that are suitable for in situ application, as well as state of the art technologies that make in situ aeration an appealing approach. Based on the technologies analyzed, suggestions are made for sediment bioremediation techniques in different marine environments.

Rhamnolipid Micellization and Adsorption Properties

“…The application of biosurfactants in personal care products and cosmetics is trending due to their low toxicity, excellent moisturizing ability, and skin compatibility [ 17 ]. In enhanced oil recovery, oil spill cleanup, and bioremediation of hydrophobic pollutants, biosurfactants are promising substitutes to the currently utilized synthetic surfactants [ 18 , 19 , 20 ]. Biosurfactants can be very selective and effective under many conditions, and only small quantities are required for the oil recovery or cleaning; further, the whole cell broth can be utilized without a complicated purification process [ 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 ].…”

Bio-Treatment Technologies of Produced Water: A Review

“…Future research should focus on pure culture development and mixed culture biotreatment techniques that lead to the optimization of microbial strains to enhance desired properties using genetic and metabolic engineering tools and methods [105,106]. Also, immobilization of living cells on a micro surface has been increasingly studied recently to obtain a biocatalyst with high performance as an efficient approach for the treatment of oily wastewater [73,107,108].…”

Biodegradation of Petroleum Hydrocarbons and The Factors Effecting Rate of Biodegradation

“…Mostly 3-4 ml oxygen used in the degradation of 1ml hydrocarbon into water and carbon dioxide. The biodegradation process used large quantity of oxygen due to high amount of carbon and hydrogen in petroleum but low amount of carbon dioxide [39]. Water in lake, ocean and harbors have large concentration of oxygen on surface due to air, water, wave action and wind but oxygen concentration decrease in depth.…”