title: Electrobioremediation of oil spills.
abstract: Annually, thousands of oil spills occur across the globe. As a result, petroleum substances and petrochemical compounds are widespread contaminants causing concern due to their toxicity and recalcitrance. Many remediation strategies have been developed using both physicochemical and biological approaches. Biological strategies are most benign, aiming to enhance microbial metabolic activities by supplying limiting inorganic nutrients, electron acceptors or donors, thus stimulating oxidation or reduction of contaminants. A key issue is controlling the supply of electron donors/acceptors. Bioelectrochemical systems (BES) have emerged, in which an electrical current serves as either electron donor or acceptor for oil spill bioremediation. BES are highly controllable and can possibly also serve as biosensors for real time monitoring of the degradation process. Despite being promising, multiple aspects need to be considered to make BES suitable for field applications including system design, electrode materials, operational parameters, mode of action and radius of influence. The microbiological processes, involved in bioelectrochemical contaminant degradation, are currently not fully understood, particularly in relation to electron transfer mechanisms. Especially in sulfate rich environments, the sulfur cycle appears pivotal during hydrocarbon oxidation. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the research on bioelectrochemical remediation of oil spills and of the key parameters involved in the process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126 Milan, Italy. Electronic address: matteo.daghio@unimib.it.
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Daghio
authors.affiliation: Water Research Institute (IRSA), National Research Council (CNR), Via Salaria km 29,300, 00015 Monterotondo, RM, Italy.
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Aulenta
authors.affiliation: Center for Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET), Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000 Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Eleni
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vaiopoulou
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Franzetti
authors.affiliation: Center for Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET), Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000 Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jan B A
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Arends
authors.affiliation: School of Civil Engineering & Geosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, UK.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sherry
authors.affiliation: School of Civil Engineering & Geosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, UK.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Suárez-Suárez
authors.affiliation: School of Civil Engineering & Geosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, UK.
authors.forename: Ian M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Head
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bestetti
authors.affiliation: Center for Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET), Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000 Gent, Belgium. Electronic address: korneel.rabaey@ugent.be.
authors.forename: Korneel
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rabaey
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D004566:Electrodes; D006838:Hydrocarbons; D010578:Petroleum; D059392:Petroleum Pollution
chemical_list: D006838:Hydrocarbons; D010578:Petroleum
keywords: Bioelectrochemical systems; Bioremediation; Chlorinated solvents; Petroleum hydrocarbons; Sulfate reducing bacteria