Overview of petroleum hydrocarbon pollution and bioremediation technologies

Abstract

An exceptional rise in population, urbanization and human activities associated with modernization has increased pollutants to critical levels. These pollutants are in different shades across different sectors however, petroleum hydrocarbon is one of the most significant. This is because it comprises of thousands of various chemicals with structural and behavioral differences causing widespread distribution into the environment, bioaccumulation in biological systems, harmful effects on living organisms and resistance to biodegradation. Hydrocarbon pollution is mainly attributed to anthropogenic activities from crude oil refineries, sabotage of pipelines, petroleum industries and other sources and consequently negatively impacts all environmental compartments: air, water, land, sediments and sometimes groundwater causing deleterious effects. By extension, petroleum hydrocarbon pollution also contributes to public health risks which all supports the need for an effective remediation option. Bioremediation has been considered a highly functional option with other selective advantages such as: sustainability, cost-effectiveness, less complex technology and eco-friendly attributes compared to other invasive methods. There are different approaches to bioremediation and more recently the use of biosurfactants and immobilized cells have been introduced as more effective alternatives. Regardless, it is important to understand the mechanisms and factors that supports biodegradation and the choice of bioremediation technique depends on them. This review therefore describes the composition and behavior of petroleum hydrocarbons in different environment and also highlights the different bioremediation approaches and the factors that supports their activity.