HYDROCARBON DEGRADATION POTENTIALS OF BACTERIAL SPECIES ISOLATED FROM BITUMEN CONTAMINATED WATER AND SEDIMENTS IN ILUBIRIN, TEMIDIRE CAMP,AND AGBABU COMMUNITIES OF ONDO STATE, SOUTH WEST NIGERIA

Abstract

ABSTRACT The seepage of bitumen, a natural resource found in abundance in the Nigerian Dahomy belt is gradually becoming a source of concern due to contamination of surface waters and soil. Developing microbial strains that could be useful in restoring contaminated environment is therefore needful. This work was carried out to isolate and identify bacterial species from bitumen contaminated sites in Ondo State, Nigeria. Water and sediment samples were collected and analyzed using standard microbiological techniques. Species of bacteria isolated include: Bacillus, Citrobacter, Flavobacterium, Micrococcus, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter and Staphylococcus. Hydrocarbon degradation was determined using an enrichment medium supplemented with diesel as the sole carbon source over a 14 day period. Growth was monitored by taking pH, optical density at 600 nm, and total viable count (TVC: Cfu/ml) on days one, five, ten and fourteen. Analysis of the results of the hydrocarbon degradation revealed that among the isolates from water sources, Pseudomonas aeruginosa had the greatest ability to degrade diesel while Staphylococccus aureus had the least capacity. Also, among the isolates from sediments, Pseudomonas fluorescens demonstrated the highest degradation ability while Flavobacterium had the least ability to degrade hydrocarbon. The results from this study reveal the potentials of some of the isolates to degrade hydrocarbon. Further genetic work can be done on the isolates in order to develop models that can be useful in effective bioremediation of hydrocarbon contaminated sites. KEYWORDS: Agbabu, Ilubinrin, Temidire Camp, Bitumen, Sediment, Seepage, Bacteria