ABSTRACT
Bioremediation is a relatively new approach for cleaning up oil pollution in the marine environment without undesirable side effects. Drawing upon a variety of disciplines, such as microbiology, ecology, toxicology, biotechnology, and chemistry, bioremediation aims at accelerating biodegradation of oil compounds. Oil spills have catastrophic effects to most marine ecosystems. Light penetration decreases to just a few centimeters underneath the oil slick. Photosynthesis is thus inhibited throughout most of the euphotic zone and phytoplankton-based food webs are severely impaired. Fertilizers can be utilized to overcome nutrient limitation of microbial communities. In field applications this method has provided effective cleanup, relatively free of unwanted complications such as inducement of eutrophication and toxicity. The excessive amounts of hydrocarbons found in marine oil spills can stimulate heterotrophic microbial activity. Various heterotrophic and saprotrophic microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi, are capable of metabolizing petroleum hydrocarbons, an attribute that makes these microorganisms valuable bioremediation tools.
