Bioremediation in Antarctic Soils

With the increase in human activities in cold environments, the risk of an oil spill has become higher due to the necessity of using oils to generate energy. Several accidents have occurred in the Arctic and Antarctic involving severely contaminated areas and chronic levels of contamination. In the Antarctic, the main occupations are permanent scientific and military stations, most of which are active throughout the year. Several studies evaluating the potential for biodegradation were performed using Antarctic soils, and the results were promising; however, there are no studies on the bioremediation process in soils from the core of the continent, only from the shore regions. The Antarctic continent contains a diverse microbial community that can degrade oils even under extreme conditions. In this regard, bioremediation treatments are indicated to promote a sustainable, low-cost and efficient recovery process that must be performed as soon as possible after the spill to improve this efficiency. This paper provides an unprecedented review of the bioremediation process exclusive to Antarctic soils; provides the necessary knowledge for consolidating the bioremediation process in the Antarctic environment; and suggests strategies for applying these techniques.