Microbial degradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in the environment
Subject Areas : Large Animal Diseases
1 - Visiting Lecturer, Dept. of Agriculture Science, Payame Noor University (PNU), Izeh, Iran
Keywords: microorganisms, Crude oil, Biodegradation,
Abstract :
Crude oil is a naturally occurring complex mixture of hydrocarbon and non-hydrocarbon compounds. Oil-based products are the main source of energy for industry and daily life. However, today's environmental pollution by petroleum hydrocarbons and its adverse effects on the environment is significant among the many problems. The effect of oil on microbial populations depends upon the chemical composition of the oil and on the species of microorganisms present. Populations of some microbes increase; typically, Many of microorganisms are capable of utilizing petroleum hydrocarbons as nutrient. The process of bioremediation, defined as the use of microorganisms to detoxify or remove pollutants owing to their diverse metabolic capabilities is an evolving method for the removal and degradation of many environmental pollutants including the products of petroleum industry. Biodegradation by natural populations of microorganisms represents one of the primary mechanisms by which petroleum and other hydrocarbon pollutants can be removed from the environment and is cheaper than other remediation technologies. This paper presents an updated overview of petroleum hydrocarbon degradation by microorganisms.Keywords: Biodegradation, crude oil, microorganisms
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