Biodegradation of fuel oils and lubricants: Soil and water bioremediation options

Publisher Summary A controlled or directed bioremediation process seeks to provide an accelerated natural decomposition, and in this chapter discusses the best practice to attempt to achieve this goal. Bio degradative clean up of oil contaminated soils, sediments, and waters has only recently been considered a viable clean up option. The detailed studies of the effects of different types of clean up strategy on the coastal regions around Prince William Sound, contaminated by the Exxon Valdiz crude oil spill in 1989, revealed that of all the approaches the best results were obtained where natural processes were allowed to occur. However, the rates of oil removal were slow and in some cases could have lead to an extended exposure of marine species to toxic hydrocarbons and intermediates of biodegradation. Micro-organisms are capable of utilizing hydrocarbons as a carbon and energy source.