Research advances in biosurfactant remediation of hydrophobic organics-contaminated soil

In this paper, the hazards of hydrophobic organic contaminants (HOCs) accumulation in soil environment and the advantages of applying biosurfactants in the remediation of HOCs-contaminated soil were briefly introduced, the main remediation mechanism of biosurfactants, i.e., promoting the dissolution, desorption, and biodegradation of HOCs was elucidated, and the effects of the type and concentration of biosurfactants and the physical and chemical properties of soils on the remediation were analyzed. The prospects of the application and development of biosurfactants in the remediation of HOCs-contaminated soil were also discussed.