Introduction to Petroleum Biotechnology - Chapter 8: Biotransformation in the Environment

This chapter deals extensively with the effects of petroleum and its by-products on the environment and Biotechnological remedies for such situations. Though some petroleum products are harmless to life, many of them are carcinogenic in nature. Hence it is very important that they be transformed or degraded, in cases of spills. Environmental biotransformation and degradation refer to complete mineralization of the organic contaminants into carbon dioxide, water, inorganic compounds with the use of microorganisms.