Role of biosurfactants in enhancing the microbial degradation of pyrene
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Pyrene is a high molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) with a symmetrical structure, commonly found as a pollutant of air, water, and soil. Being one of the most abundant high molecular weight pericondensed PAH and having its structure similar to several carcinogenic PAHs is being used as a model compound to study the degradation of high molecular weight PAHs. Therefore, its removal from the environment is a challenging task for scientists. Pyrene has been found to be toxic to the aquatic microinvertebrate Gammarus pulex, and its quinone metabolites are mutagenic and toxic to organisms in the environment. This chapter mainly focuses on the microbial degradation of ecologically toxic pyrene by pure microbial cultures and microbial consortium, simultaneously emphasizing the role of surfactants in enhancing the degradation process.