Bioremediation of Crude oil Contaminated Marshland Muddy Soil By Bioaugmentation Approach Using Candida Tropicalis And Penicillium Chrysogenum

Bioremediation of crude oil contaminated Marshland muddy soil by bioaugmentation approach using two fungal species Candida tropicalis and Penicillium chrysogenum were evaluated. Penicillium chrysogenum and Candida tropicalis were used to augment the indigenous microorganisms present in the muddy soil to speed up the degradation rate for a period of 28days, sampling and analysis were carried out at weekly interval (1, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days). The indigenous fungi isolates from the soil were identified to be of the following genera, Mucor sp., Penicillium sp., Aspergillus sp.,Candida sp., and Fusarium sp. while the hydrocarbon utilizing bacteria were also identify to be Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Micrococcus, Staphylococcus, Lactobacillus and Klebsiella. During the bioremediation process, it was observed that the augmenting organisms used were able to degrade the petroleum hydrocarbon in the soil. Four batches were setup; Control (contaminated mud without augmenting microbes), Contaminated mud with Penicillium Chrysogenum, Contaminated mud with Candida tropicalis, Contaminated mud with Penicillium Chrysogenum with Candida tropicalis The initial concentration of Total Hydrocarbon Content (THC) of crude oil marsh mud samples setup at day 1 was 938mg/kg; while on the day 28, the residual value were as follows: Contaminated mud with Penicillium Chrysogenum with Candida tropicalis (148mg/kg) < Contaminated mud with Candida tropicalis (247mg/kg) < Contaminated mud with Penicillium Chrysogenum (360mg/kg) < Control (646mg/kg). The percentage bioremediation rates of the fungal species were as follows: Contaminated mud with Penicillium Chrysogenum with Candida tropicalis (84.22%) > Contaminated mud with Candida tropicalis (70.79%) < Contaminated mud with Penicillium Chrysogenum (61.62%) < Control (31.13%).. Comparatively, the mixed consortium of Candida tropicalis with Penicillium Chrysogenum express higher bioremediation potential; while in relation to individual organism bioaugmenting potential Candida tropicalis is higher than Penicillium chrysogenum. This study therefore reveals that Pencillium chrysogenium and Candida tropicalis can be used in treatment of contaminated marshland muddy soil thereby minimizing the adverse environmental risks and human health hazards associated with the toxic effects of this petroleum hydrocarbon in marshland ecosystem.