Abstract
Petroleum hydrocarbons are the most prevalent contamination in the environment. The ecosystem's functionality is diminished when petroleum hydrocarbons are introduced into a healthy environment because they swiftly change the ecology's properties. Natural attenuation is the only and the most significant biological activity that cleans up the environment by removing petroleum hydrocarbons. The microorganisms already existing without the assistance of exogenous bioremediation enhancers like electron suppliers, electron acceptors, other organisms, or nutrients break down the organic pollutants at the site. Because of how well this innate attenuation mechanism works, environmental biotechnology has progressively developed bioremediation in the previous 50 years. Bioremediation is based on the naturally occurring biodegradation. Petroleum hydrocarbon pollution is the most prevalent type. Petroleum hydrocarbons rapidly modify the ecology's properties, lowering the ecosystem's functionality when introduced into a healthy setting. Natural attenuation is the only biological process that is most significant for removing petroleum hydrocarbons from the environment. The on-site microorganisms can break down the organic pollutants without using outside agents that improve bioremediation, like electron donors, electron acceptors, extra bacteria, or nutrients. Environmental biotechnology has been progressively expanding bioremediation based on this organic biodegradation process for the past 50 years due to the efficacy of this attenuation process in nature. Petroleum hydrocarbons begin to interact with their surroundings when they pollute the land. These interactions can be physical (dispersion), biological (plant and microbial catabolism of hydrocarbons), chemical (photo-oxidation, auto-oxidation), or physiochemical (evaporation, dissolution, sorption) processes. Investigations on the microbial communities inside polluted soils are crucial for any bioremediation project because microorganisms (including bacteria and fungus) play a significant role in the breakdown of petroleum hydrocarbons. This article emphasizes the fate of petroleum hydrocarbons in tertial habitats and the contributions of various microbial consortia for the best potential for petroleum hydrocarbon bioremediation. It also highlights how high-throughput metagenomic sequencing affects the identification of the underlying mechanisms of deterioration. This information will support the creation of commercial bioremediation systems that are more effective and affordable.
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Parmar, P., Dhurandhar, R., Naik, S. (2023). Environmental Fate and Microbial Reactions to Petroleum Hydrocarbon Contamination in Terrestrial Ecosystems. In: Behera, I.D., Das, A.P. (eds) Impact of Petroleum Waste on Environmental Pollution and its Sustainable Management Through Circular Economy. Environmental Science and Engineering. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-48220-5_6
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