Isolation of aerobic bacteria capable to degrade all different compounds such as aliphatic and mono- and polyaromatic hydrocarbons as well as their anthropogenic derivatives, e.g., chlorinated aliphatic and aromatic compounds, has been an important field of hydrocarbon microbiology. Here, biochemical methods were mainly applied in order to characterize enzymatic pathways responsible for the microbial degradation of these hundreds of different organic compounds. These techniques were also applied to characterize enzymes and pathways of anaerobic degradation of different natural and anthropogenic hydrocarbons. Meanwhile, the research focus as well as application of biochemical methods turned more toward monitoring and assessment of catabolic process, in situ, e.g., in hydrocarbon-contaminated soils and waters. In addition, present research focuses on synthesis of high-value products from cheap oil hydrocarbon derivatives by microbial catalysts.

This volume will summarize present biochemical techniques dealing with those different aspects of modern hydrocarbon microbiology.