Characterization of Aromatic Hydrocarbon Degrading Bacteria from Petroleum Contaminated Sites (Report‪)‬

1. Introduction Aromatic hydrocarbons are common environmental pollutants with toxic, genotoxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic properties [1]. They mainly occur in petroleum industry activities [2]. Oil spills because of pipeline breakages, tanks leakages or storage and transportation accidents can be considered as the most frequent causes of hydrocarbon release, included PAHs into soils [3]. BTEX compounds are components of gasoline and aviation fuels that are carcinogenic and neurotoxic to most organisms [4].