Sustainable Remediation of Simple and Complex Hydrocarbon Pollutants by the Pseudomonas Through Extrachromosomal Genes

ABSTRACT Pseudomonas putida is a multifaceted bacteria with the capability of doing bioremediation for various compounds present in the environment or released through different industrial processes. This review presents the degradation pathway of many noxious acyclic, homocyclic, and heterocyclic compounds, which have serious adverse effects. Some of these hydrocarbons can cause harm to humans by either being carcinogenic, like naphthalene, nitrobenzene, and carbazole, or being addictive, like nicotine. Even the simplest of the hydrocarbons like alkanes are capable of causing pneumonia or simply dryness and irritation to the human body. In addition, the acyclic isoprenoids are known to act as a skin irritant or a respiratory and Central nervous system (CNS) depressant. Plasmids, which are small, extrachromosomal deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) molecules present inside the cell, have the power to replicate independently. This review focuses on the participation of the different active genes of individual plasmids of P. putida responsible for the degradation of different compounds. It also gives a proper degradation pathway for each toxic compound stated above. In this article, the knowledge available in research papers about the compounds and the advantage of using P. putida for its removal for a better, safer, and sound environment is presented in simple language understandable to an initiator, as well as providing comprehensive information for the seasoned researcher in the field.