Bioremediation method for accelerated biological decomposition of petroleum hydrocarbons in sea ice-covered polar regions, and bacteria and enzyme mixtures as agents for carrying out said method

A bioremediation method for accelerated biological degradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in a sea ice-covered polar region comprising contacting the petroleum hydrocarbons under sea ice conditions with an inoculum comprising:

• a) a bacterial mixture comprising a plurality of isolated cold-adapted autochthonous bacterial strains, wherein the bacterial strains have petroleum hydrocarbons degrading activity at ambient temperature of −3° C., and wherein each of the bacterial strains has a different temperature tolerance range, a different salinity tolerance range, a different degradation spectrum, and a different petroleum hydrocarbons capacity to emulsify oil;
• b) nutrients;
• and
• c) an environmentally friendly carrier material on which the bacterial strains are immobilized, wherein the petroleum hydrocarbons are degraded by said bacterial strains.