Petroleum-Degrading Enzymes: Bioremediation and New Prospects

Anthropogenic forces, such as petroleum spills and the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, have caused an accumulation of petroleum hydrocarbons in the environment. The accumulation of petroleum and its derivatives now constitutes an important environmental problem. Biocatalysis introduces new wa...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Enzyme Research 2011, Vol.2011 (2011), p.448-454
Main Authors: Peixoto, R. S., Vermelho, Alane Beatriz, Rosado, Alexandre Soares
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bioremediation
Enzymes
Genetic aspects
Physiological aspects
Review
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Anthropogenic forces, such as petroleum spills and the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, have caused an accumulation of petroleum hydrocarbons in the environment. The accumulation of petroleum and its derivatives now constitutes an important environmental problem. Biocatalysis introduces new ways to improve the development of bioremediation strategies. The recent application of molecular tools to biocatalysis may improve bioprospecting research, enzyme yield recovery, and enzyme specificity, thus increasing cost-benefit ratios. Enzymatic remediation is a valuable alternative as it can be easier to work with than whole organisms, especially in extreme environments. Furthermore, the use of free enzymes avoids the release of exotic or genetically modified organisms (GMO) in the environment.
ISSN:2090-0414
2090-0406
2090-0414
DOI:10.4061/2011/475193