ABSTRACT
Petroleum hydrocarbon (PH) pollutants cause huge ecological impacts after their anthropogenic entry into the ecosystem. Pollutant’s nature, composition, physicochemical properties have a substantial impact on PHs removal from the contaminated sites. Serious human health risks posed by PHs pollution have attracted scientific communities to search for emerging and sustainable remediation strategies, such as biological remediation methods (in situ and ex situ conditions). This chapter addresses: (i) key issues in the bioremediation of PHs-contaminated sites; (ii) growth of bioremediation; (iii) bioavailability of PHs to microorganisms; (iv) PHs degrading bacteria; (v) biodegradation mechanisms of PHs; (vi) PHs bioremediation strategies and their practicalities; and (vii) an overview of restoration of PHs-contaminated soil.
