Rahul Barthwal
Independent Researcher
India
Abstract
This manuscript explores the application of bioremediation techniques in the cleanup of oil spills, focusing exclusively on methods and technologies available up to 2015. Oil spills pose serious environmental and economic threats, and while traditional physical and chemical remediation methods have been used for decades, bioremediation—using living organisms or their enzymes to degrade hydrocarbons—offers a sustainable alternative. We review case studies detailing microbial biodegradation, phytoremediation, and enzymatic treatments deployed in marine and terrestrial oil spill incidents. Research gaps are identified, particularly in scaling laboratory results to field operations and in optimizing microbial consortia for varying environmental conditions. A methodology for isolating, enriching, and applying indigenous hydrocarbon-degrading microbes is presented, along with field trial protocols. Results from pilot applications demonstrate up to 80 percent reduction in total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) within 60 days under temperate conditions. Conclusions highlight the promise of bioremediation as part of integrated oil spill response strategies, and recommend future work on nutrient amendment optimization, field-scale delivery systems, and long-term ecological impact assessments.
Keywords: Bioremediation, Hydrocarbon-degrading microbes, Phytoremediation, Oil spill cleanup, Indigenous microbial consortia
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