Biodegradation of hydrocarbon by bacteria isolated from crude oil contaminated soil

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Microbiology, University of Benin, Edo State, Nigeria

2 Department of Biological Sciences, Anchor University Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

Crude oil contaminated soil has posed major environmental problems in recent years. Hence, this work was designed to evaluate the potential of microorganisms isolated from crude oil contaminate soil, to degrade hydrocarbon. Samples of crude oil contaminated soil were collected from Warri Refining and petrochemical Company in Delta State and characterized using standard microbiological procedure. Isolates were assayed for their ability to degrade hydrocarbon using mineral salt medium containing crude oil as source of carbon. Soil samples were treated as follows: A – untreated/control soil plus sterile crude oil, B – untreated soil plus crude oil and carrier, C – treated soil (with Enterobacter aerogenes) plus crude oil and carrier, D – treated soil (with Actinomycetes) plus crude oil and carrier, E – treated soil (with Enterobacter aerogenes and Actinomycetes) plus crude oil and carrier. After 14 days treatment, A had no growth while B, C, D and E had bacterial count of 2.6 x104 cfu/g, 7.68x1011, 1.42x1012 and 1.96x102 cfu/g respectively. At the end of 28 days period, A, B, C, D and E had count of 1.2 x 103cfu/g, 5.22 x 1011cfu/g, 9.30 x 1014cfu/g, 1.79 x1017cfu/g and 2.52 x.1019 cfu/g respectively. Serratia marcescens, Actinomycetes and Enterobacter aerogenes showed crude oil reduction of 44.3 %, 79.26 % and 61.69 % respectively. The results showed that Actinomycetes had the highest reduction rate of hydrocarbon content of soil more than other bacterial isolates.

Keywords

Main Subjects


[1] Ayotamuno, M. J., Akor, A. J. and Igho, T. J. (2002). Effluent quality and wastes from petroleum- Drilling operations in the Niger Delta, Nigeria. Environment management and health, 13(2), 207-216
[2] Okoh, A. I. (2006). Biodegradation alternative in the cleanup of petroleum hydrocarbon pollutants. Biotechnology and molecular biology reviews, 1(2), 38-50.
[3] United nations environmental programme (UNEP). (2011). In-situ environmental assessment of Ogoniland, Rivers state. www.unep.org, Accessed: 19th January, 2020.
[4] Ojo, O. A. (2005). Petroleum hydrocarbon utilization by native bacteria population from a wastewater canal southwest Nigeria. African journal of biotechnology. 5(4), 333-337.
[5] James, G. S. (2002). Hand book of petroleum product analysis, John Wiley and Sons, Inc. New York. 3-7pp.
[6] Agiri, G. O., Akumagba, P. E., Adimula, H. A. and Edoga, M. O. (2010). Isolation and characterization of petroleum hydrocarbons degrading bacteria from soils around Warri, Delta State, Nigeria. Journal of environmental science, 23(4), 132-139.
[7] Miyazaki, H. (2005) Method of remedying contaminated soil by microorganisms. US Patent, 6,905,288B2.
[8] Díaz, M.P., Boyd, K. G., Grigson, S. J. W Burgess, J. G. (2002). Biodegradation of crude oil across a wide range of salinities by an extremely halotolerant bacterial consortium MPD-M, immobilized onto polypropylene fibers. Biotechnology and bioengineering. 79,145-153.
[9] Chen, K. C., Chen, J. J. and Houng. J. Y. (2000). Improvement of nitrogen removal efficiency using immobilized microorganisms with oxidation-reduction potential monitoring. Journal of industrial microbiology and biotechnology. 25, 229-234.
[10] Delille, D., Delille, B. and Pelletier, E. (2002). Effectiveness of bioremediation of crude oil contaminated subantartic intertidal sediments: the microbial response. Microbial ecology, 44, 118-126
[11] Sang-Hwan, l., Seokho, l., Dae Yaeon, k., jeong- gyu, k., (2007). Degradation characteristics of waste lubricants under different nutrient condition. Journal of hazardous materials 143, 65-72.
[12] Schaefer, M. and Juliane, F. (2007). The influence of earthworms and organic additives on the biodegradation of oil contaminated soil. Applied soil ecology 36(2), 53-62.