Research Article
Xenia ME and Refugio RV
Abstract
The development of some industrial processes, such as extraction, refining and oil transportation has been the cause of environmental degradation caused by oil spills and their extraction processes involved. In order to reduce these contaminants, among others, physicochemical technologies have been applied, which haven't solved the contamination problem because in many of these processes, new toxic compounds are generated. Technologies based in the use of microorganisms, plants and other biological species are called bioremediation. This is an alternative to the physical and chemical processes of treatment that, although slower in response, are more sustainable. Therefore, in this review, bioremediation technologies to treat oil contaminated soils are analyzed as a convenient alternative for the restoration of impacted soils, against progressive deterioration of environmental quality. Additionally, the microorganisms as well as the required conditions for which bioremediation is considered a sustainable process to undertake will also be presented.