Petroleum-degrading enzymes: bioremediation and new prospects

SAGE-Hindawi Access to Research Enzyme Research Volume 2011, Article ID 475193, 7 pages doi:10.4061/2011/475193

Review Article Petroleum-Degrading Enzymes: Bioremediation and New Prospects
R. S. Peixoto, A. B. Vermelho, and A. S. Rosado
Institute of Microbiology Paulo de G´es, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21 941902, Brazil o Correspondence should be addressed to R. S. Peixoto, [e-mail] Received 15 April 2011; Accepted 27 May 2011 Academic Editor: Claudiu T. Supuran Copyright © 2011 R. S. Peixoto et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. 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.

1. Introduction
Our planet hosts many different environments. From the Arctic to the Antarctic, there are deserts, rainforests, abyssal regions, and many other places where different forms of life can be found. Not all organisms can adapt and/or survive in diverse environments, but, instead, they inhabit specific environments according to their biotic and abiotic characteristics. However, microorganisms are everywhere;