Abstract
Petroleum hydrocarbons (PHCs) are one of the most widespread and heterogeneous organic contaminants affecting marine ecosystems. The contamination of marine sediments or coastal areas by PHCs represents a major threat for the ecosystem and human health, calling for urgent, effective, and sustainable remediation solutions. Aside from some physical and chemical treatments that have been established over the years for marine sediment reclamation, bioremediation approaches based on the use of microorganisms are gaining increasing attention for their eco-compatibility, and lower costs. In this work, we review current knowledge concerning the bioremediation of PHCs in marine systems, presenting a synthesis of the most effective microbial taxa (i.e., bacteria, fungi, and microalgae) identified so far for hydrocarbon removal. We also discuss the challenges offered by innovative molecular approaches for the design of effective reclamation strategies based on these three microbial components of marine sediments contaminated by hydrocarbons.
Highlights
We review the current knowledge on the main microbial taxa so far involved in bioremediation, considering the main factors influencing the bioremediation performance of marine sediments contaminated by petroleum hydrocarbons
Our review highlights that a variety of microbial taxa, belonging to bacteria, fungi, and microalgae, are able to degrade hydrocarbons and are potentially useful for the remediation of contaminated marine sediments
Different microbial taxa have different metabolic requirements and can demonstrate differing efficiency in the biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons, which can greatly vary depending upon the chemical structure and bioavailability of the hydrocarbons and environmental conditions
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations Different chemical contaminants, such as heavy metals and metalloids, aliphatic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and halogenated compounds, are introduced in the marine environment by multiple sources (e.g., improper industrial discharges, waste disposal practices, combustion, continental runoff [1,2]). Current knowledge suggests that the use of microalgal strains, coupled with the use of bacteria and fungi, could be a promising bioremediation strategy for the reclamation of marine environments contaminated by petroleum hydrocarbons. PH, by influencing microbial metabolism, can play a role in affecting bioremediation performance, which typically is effective at pH values around 6–8 [62] Oxygen concentration is another factor influencing bioremediation processes, as most petroleum-degrading microbes identified so far are aerobic (Table 1). Degrade a large variety of petroleum contaminants in anoxic marine sediments, strategies
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