Evaluation of Different Bacterial Consortia for Hydrocarbon Degradation

Abstract

Hydrocarbon contamination from petroleum activities poses a persistent threat to environmental and human health due to the toxic, mutagenic, and recalcitrant nature of petroleum hydrocarbons. Bioremediation using bacterial consortia has gained prominence as an eco-friendly and sustainable approach for hydrocarbon degradation, surpassing single-strain systems in efficiency and adaptability. This study emphasizes the evaluation of different bacterial consortia comprising genera such as Pseudomonas, Rhodococcus, Bacillus, Acinetobacter, and Alcanivorax, which exhibit synergistic interactions enabling the degradation of diverse hydrocarbon fractions including alkanes, aromatics, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The performance of these consortia is influenced by environmental factors such as nutrient availability, salinity, temperature, and pH, along with the production of biosurfactants that enhance bioavailability. By integrating chemical analyses with molecular tools targeting functional genes (alkB, nahAc, nidA), this evaluation underscores the potential of bacterial consortia as robust agents for bioremediation, offering practical applications in contaminated soils, aquatic systems, and industrial effluents.