Remediation refers to removing, degrading or transforming contaminants to harmless or less harmful substances.

Additionally, it include methods that reduce mobility and migration of the contaminants, preventing their spreading to uncontaminated areas; toxicity of the contaminants remains unaltered, but the risk they pose to the environment is reduced. For the treatment of contaminated soil physiochemical and biological treatment is used. Physicochemical methods includes solvent extraction, soil washing, stabilization, thermal destruction and thermal desorption. Solvent extraction for petroleum contaminated soil is a process that utilizes organic solvents to remove the oil. Solvents may be alkanes, alcohol, ketones etc. this method has many disadvantages where primary treatment is necessary before conducting this treatment like excavation, coarse sieving, removal of excess water and fine sieving and it is time consuming process. Soil washing is a process which utilizes the surfactants. These surfactants are toxic, non degradable and not suitable for the large area of contaminated sites. Bio remediation is an attractive alternative technique which uses micro organism. Soil stabilization is a process in which contaminates are changed to less volatile, less soluble, less toxic ssubstances. Asphalt emulsion is a mixture of asphalt and water. However it has disposal problem. Thermal desorption which is suitable for small molecular weight compound undergoing volatilization followed by condensation. Due to many disadvantages of physicochemical methods , Bioremediation processes have been shown to be an effective method that stimulates the biodegradation in contaminated soil Biodegradation of hydrocarbon-contaminated soils (exploits the ability of microorganisms to degrade and/or detoxify organic contamination) has been established as an efficient, economic, versatile and environmentally sound treatment. Biodegradation is a large component of oil weathering and is a natural process whereby bacteria or other microorganisms alter and break down organic molecules into other substances, eventually producing fatty acids and carbon dioxide. Bioremediation is the acceleration of this process through the addition of exogenous microbial populations, through the stimulation of indigenous populations or through manipulation of the contaminated media using techniques such as aeration or temperature control. Bioremediation technique includes bio augmentation, bio stimulation, and bio attenuation. Bioaugmentation improves the biodegradative capacities of contaminated sites by introduction of single strains or consortia of microorganisms with desired catalytic capabilities. Moreover, genetically engineered microorganisms (GEMs) exhibiting enhanced degradative capabilities encompassing a wide range of aromatic hydrocarbons have also potential for soil bioaugmentation. Biostimulation is the addition of nutrients to a polluted site in order to encourage the growth of naturally occurring chemical-degrading microorganisms. Bioattenuation is the method that relies on natural processes to dissipate contaminants through biological transformation.