Microbial Remediation of Organic Pollutants

Two typical groups of organic pollutants in marine environments are of great concern, petroleum hydrocarbons and halogenated organic pollutants such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Due to their highly hydrophobic nature, they are among the most toxic and persistent environmental pollutants and occur worldwide in marine sediments. Marine bacteria include a variety of candidates for their degradation. Petroleum hydrocarbons can be consumed by various aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms but the degradation of halogenated organics is mainly attributed to strictly anaerobic organohalide respiring bacteria. This is the basis for developing efficient remediation strategies, from strain selection for bio-augmentation to molecular monitoring based on their key enzymes or genes involved. There are two key ecological issues for successful bioremediation in marine environments: marine conditions such as low temperature, oceanic acidification, etc., and the interactive environmental impacts of enhanced remediation processes. Research into enhanced bioremediation is becoming promising with new materials that slowly release biostimulating factors, high-density packing of microbial cells, and supporting biofilms. To enhance their metabolic activities, electrochemical techniques have been introduced, to build a large scale of microbial fuel cell to better aid the remediation of persistent organic pollutants.