Ex Situ Biodegradation of Crude Oil Using Bacterial Isolates From Palm Oil Mill Effluent

Bioremediation of crude oil is quite unique, complex and relatively a slow process. They study area for this research work was a cottage industry located in Orumba North local government area of Anambra state, Nigeria. Evaluating the degradation potential of bacterial isolates from palm oil mill effluent on crude oil was conducted using standard methods, which includes screening, inoculums development and degradation studies to assess the most promising hydrocarbon degraders. Pooled samples collected from different points on the palm oil mill effluent disposal channels were inoculated mineral salt medium containing crude oil to assess degradation abilities of different bacterial species. Data indicated that these bacterial isolates were capable of thriving in the mineral salt medium between the pH range of 6.0-7.0 and bacterial proliferation were quantified by assessing the total viable count which ranged between 2 x 105-9 x 105 cfu/ml based on individual abilities to utilize crude oil as a sole carbon source. Cultural, morphological and biochemical characterizations were conducted on these isolates and Bergey’s manual of determinative bacteriology was used to suggest possible isolates, while molecular identification was done Centre for Agriculture and biosciences International (CABI), UK using partial 16S rDNA sequencing analysis and FASTA algorithm with prokaryote database from EBI. Escherichia fergosonii, Klebsiella variicola and Microccocus luteus were identified. Gas chromatographic analysis was applied to quantify the extent of degradation of crude oil by the isolates. All the isolated bacterial species displayed varying degree of crude hydrocarbon biodegradation.