Petroleum Hydrocarbon Biodegradability in Soil – Implications for Bioremediation

The development of human civilization throughout history has led to growing disruption of the natural balance and the occurrence of different types of pollution. The world depends on oil, and the use of oil as fuel has led to intensive economic development worldwide. The great need for this energy source has led to the gradual exhaustion of natural oil reserves. However, mankind will witness the results of oil consumption for centuries after its cessation. Environmental pollution with petroleum and petrochemical products has been recognized as a significant and serious problem (Alexander, 1995, 2000). Most components of oil are toxic to humans and wildlife in general, as it is easy to incorporate into the food chain. This fact has increased scientific interest in examining the distribution, fate and behaviour of oil and its derivatives in the environment (Alexander, 1995, 2000; Semple et al., 2001, 2003; Stroud et al., 2007, 2009). Oil spills in the environment cause long-term damage to aquatic and soil ecosystems, human health and natural resources.