Biological machinery for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons degradation: A review

[Display omitted] •Toxicity of PAHs is narrated.•Microbial and biocatalytic routes of PAHs degradation have been explained.•Bioremediation mechanism of PAHs degradation is discussed.•Effect of surfactants in PAH degradation is reviewed.•Commercial products for hydrocarbons treatment are discussed. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are hazardous environmental pollutants with widespread and well-recognized health concerns. Amidst more than a hundred known PAHs, 16 are categorized as priority pollutants. Use of widely diverse biological machinery comprising bacteria, fungi, and algae harnessed from contaminated sites has emerged as an ecologically safe and sustainable approach for PAH degradation. The potential of these biological systems has been thoroughly examined to maximize the degradation of specific PAHs by understanding their detailed biochemical pathways, enzymatic system, and gene organization. Recent advancements in microbial genetic engineering and metabolomics using modern analytical tools have facilitated the bioremediation of such xenobiotics. This review explores the role of microbes, their biochemical pathways, genetic regulation of metabolic pathways, and the effect of biosurfactants against the backdrop of PAH substrate structures.