Bioremediation of Petroleum Contaminated Soils in the Arabian Gulf Region: A Review

While environmental biotechnology is broadly based in variety of environmental protection, restoration, and agriculture industrial practices, for a decade it has been most commonly linked with bioremediation, rehabilitation and waste treatment technology. Most of the Eastern region of Saudi Arabia, including the coastal area bordering Kuwait, became polluted with petroleum during the recent Gulf war (1990). Microorganisms can degrade petroleum as a carbon and energy source and this might provide scope to remediate and rehabilitate petroleum-contaminated soils. There are several problems dealing with petroleum-contaminated soils which effect human health and environmental quality. The present review may give some opportunities in bioremediation of petroleum-contaminated soils for more future studies in the Arabian Gulf region.