BIODEGRADATION OF POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS

Ano: 2007 | Volume: 29 | Número: 1

Autores: Rodrigo Josemar Seminoti Jacques, Fátima Menezes Bento, Flávio Anastácio de Oliveira Camargo

Palavras-chave: there are no notes

Resumo Inglês:

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are not degraded by most microorganisms due to the complexity of their chemical structure and low solubility in water. Nevertheless, these compounds are generated in large quantities mainly by agrochemical activities, leading to the contamination of natural ecosystems. HAPs and their derivatives are compounds known to be mutagenic and carcinogenic, being associated with an increased incidence of cancer in the lung, intestine, liver, pancreas and skin of humans and animals. The use of degrading microorganisms is an alternative for the elimination of PAH from the environment. For this, in addition to the selection of microorganisms with proven degradability of these compounds, it is necessary to provide adequate conditions of availability of water, inorganic nutrients, pH and temperature, as well as to seek the increase of the bioavailability of PAHs, due to their strong tendency of sorption to the organic and mineral particles of the soils and sediments. The objective of the literature review was to discuss the behavior of PAHs in the environment, the bacterial and fungal metabolism of these compounds and the environmental factors that influence the survival and activity of PAH microorganisms in the environment.