ABSTRACT
Petrochemical hydrocarbons contain compounds that are toxic, carcinogenic and mutagenic. Therefore, removing petrochemical pollutants from contaminated environments is always necessary to protect flora and fauna from adverse damage. Biosurfactants are considered clean smart biomolecules that can be used for emulsification, demulsification and solubilization of hydrophobic compounds. Various types of biosurfactants are produced using organisms isolated from terrestrial environments, but marine environments have not been explored in equal measure; yet they cover more than 90% of the earth’s biosphere. Marine habitats have a diversity of hydrocarbon and biosurfactant producing bacteria, including Bacillus, Alteromonas sp., Acinetobacter, Corynebacteria, Pseudomonas, Arthrobacter, Halomonas and Myroides. Rhamnolipids, phospholipids, surfactin, sophorolipids and treharolipids are some of the biosurfactants produced by marine organisms. Hydrocarbons such as n-alkanes, aliphatics and aromatic hydrocarbons are efficiently degraded during the production of biosurfactants by marine hydrocarbonoclastic bacteria. Biosurfactants increase bioavailability and solubilization of the recalcitrant hydrophobic organics, thereby enhancing hydrocarbon degradation. This chapter assesses the multeity of biosurfactants produced by pelagic bacteria and their role in degrading different types of petrochemical hydrocarbons.
