remediation, organization of numerous microbes present in the soil can degrade a
wide range of oily sludge (Barathi and Vasudevan 2001).
Oil spills affect many species of plants and animals within the surrounding areas
as well as humans. The search for green and powerful approaches to defining the rate
and overall extent of biodegradation of waste lubricating oil in soils or contaminated
sites has intensified in current years (Umar et al. 2013). Microorganisms can
metabolize oil much as humans convert their food into energy or power. The soil
is the habitat of many organisms, so any changes or variations in soil may further
destroy our environment. The impact of an oil spill is enrichment of the soildegrading microbial populations. No single microorganism has been observed to
completely degrade a petroleum hydrocarbon molecule, but particular species or
traces of equal species may be capable of degrading concentrations of oil hydrocarbons (Facundo et al. 2001). Species of Pseudomonas are known for their capability
of hydrocarbon degradation (Jewetz et al. 1999) (Fig. 10.2).
10.2 Mechanism of Oil Degradation by Microorganism
The biodegradation of hydrocarbons by microorganisms in nature has four main
steps (Fig. 10.3).
In the first step, pollutants of petroleum are emulsified by surfactant secreted by a
microorganism. Then, the surface of the microorganism adsorbs the entire emulsified
petroleum hydrocarbon. Now, the petroleum hydrocarbon, which is adsorbed onto
the surface of the cell membrane, enters the cell membrane through active transport
or passive transport, endocytosis. In the last step, the petroleum hydrocarbon enters
into the cell, and undergoes an enzymatic reaction that causes its degradation
(Li et al. 2019).
10.2.1 Degradation of Oil and Hydrocarbon by Bacteria
Different species of bacteria are widely used to biologically degrade petroleum
hydrocarbons and also to help remove oil spills by degradation (Abou-Shanab
et al. 2016). Many studies have shown that bacteria can degrade hydrocarbons
such as asphaltenes (phenols, ketones, esters, porphyrins, fatty acids), resins (carbazoles, sulfoxides, pyridines, quinolines, amides) (Steliga 2012), and aliphatics,
aromatics, and resins (carbazoles, sulfoxides, pyridines, quinolines, amides)
(Table 10.1). The bacterial strains Pseudomonas fluorescens, P. aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus sp., Alcaligenes sp., Acinetobacter lwoffi, Flavobacterium sp.,
Micrococcus roseus, and Corynebacterium sp. isolated from polluted areas in
Nigeria were observed for degradation of crude oil (Adebusoye et al. 2007).
Petroleum bioremediation is completed by microorganisms that can utilize hydrocarbons as a source of energy (Rosenberg et al. 1998). These bacteria are ubiquitous
10 Microbes: A Novel Source of Bioremediation for Degradation of Hydrocarbons
251
wide range of oily sludge (Barathi and Vasudevan 2001).
Oil spills affect many species of plants and animals within the surrounding areas
as well as humans. The search for green and powerful approaches to defining the rate
and overall extent of biodegradation of waste lubricating oil in soils or contaminated
sites has intensified in current years (Umar et al. 2013). Microorganisms can
metabolize oil much as humans convert their food into energy or power. The soil
is the habitat of many organisms, so any changes or variations in soil may further
destroy our environment. The impact of an oil spill is enrichment of the soildegrading microbial populations. No single microorganism has been observed to
completely degrade a petroleum hydrocarbon molecule, but particular species or
traces of equal species may be capable of degrading concentrations of oil hydrocarbons (Facundo et al. 2001). Species of Pseudomonas are known for their capability
of hydrocarbon degradation (Jewetz et al. 1999) (Fig. 10.2).
10.2 Mechanism of Oil Degradation by Microorganism
The biodegradation of hydrocarbons by microorganisms in nature has four main
steps (Fig. 10.3).
In the first step, pollutants of petroleum are emulsified by surfactant secreted by a
microorganism. Then, the surface of the microorganism adsorbs the entire emulsified
petroleum hydrocarbon. Now, the petroleum hydrocarbon, which is adsorbed onto
the surface of the cell membrane, enters the cell membrane through active transport
or passive transport, endocytosis. In the last step, the petroleum hydrocarbon enters
into the cell, and undergoes an enzymatic reaction that causes its degradation
(Li et al. 2019).
10.2.1 Degradation of Oil and Hydrocarbon by Bacteria
Different species of bacteria are widely used to biologically degrade petroleum
hydrocarbons and also to help remove oil spills by degradation (Abou-Shanab
et al. 2016). Many studies have shown that bacteria can degrade hydrocarbons
such as asphaltenes (phenols, ketones, esters, porphyrins, fatty acids), resins (carbazoles, sulfoxides, pyridines, quinolines, amides) (Steliga 2012), and aliphatics,
aromatics, and resins (carbazoles, sulfoxides, pyridines, quinolines, amides)
(Table 10.1). The bacterial strains Pseudomonas fluorescens, P. aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus sp., Alcaligenes sp., Acinetobacter lwoffi, Flavobacterium sp.,
Micrococcus roseus, and Corynebacterium sp. isolated from polluted areas in
Nigeria were observed for degradation of crude oil (Adebusoye et al. 2007).
Petroleum bioremediation is completed by microorganisms that can utilize hydrocarbons as a source of energy (Rosenberg et al. 1998). These bacteria are ubiquitous
10 Microbes: A Novel Source of Bioremediation for Degradation of Hydrocarbons
251