ABSTRACT
A Petroleum hydrocarbon (PHC) mixture also known as crude oil is a flammable liquid fossil fuel, produced naturally and originating from geological formations below the earth's surface constituting a complex mix of hydrocarbons. Various wastes, like petroleum oily sludge from effluent treatment plants and storage tanks, drilling fluids and petroleum wastewaters generated during exploration, drilling and oil refining activities are considered under the hazardous wastes category by various governmental organizations and their remediation as become a mandatory requirement to protect the environment and the ecosystem. Different physical, chemical and biological methods are in place for remediation of petroleum hydrocarbon contamination in soil. On the other hand, naturally occurring chelating/complex ion/solubilizer agents produced by some organisms are known as green surfactants/biosurfactants presently used for microbial enhanced oil recovery are environmentally friendly in nature and have characteristics which can be used as environmentally friendly bioremediation agents for PHCs. The presented chapter is an attempt to identify the possibility of using biosurfactants for remediation of PHC pollution.
