Phytoremediation of soils contaminated by hydrocarbon

It is estimated that more than one-third of the world soils are seriously contaminated due to anthropological activities. Much of this contamination is due to oil industry activities which cause significant changes in the ecosystems due to the processes of exploration, refining, transportation and commercialization of products derived from oil. Plants have become biotechnologies for the recovery of hydrocarbon-contaminated soils given that they can absorb and degrade significant amounts of the pollutants. Most plants live in symbiosis with ectomycorrhizal fungi and/or arbuscular mycorrhizas that can facilitate the remediation of contaminated soils. In addition, rhizosphere microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi and nematodes have the ability to consume hydrocarbons as sources of energy and carbon, thereby playing a very important role in the remediation of contaminated soils. The remediation of areas contaminated with oil hydrocarbons is making it necessary to conduct studies on each contaminant regarding the damages and/or benefits theymay be causing in the rhizosphere and in plant physiology.