COMPARATIVE CHROMATOGRAPHIC STUDY OF Alcaligenes faecalis AND Lysinibacillus sphaericus ON REMEDIATION OF CRUDE OIL IMPACTED WATER BODY IN NIGER DELTA AREA, NIGERIA

Abstract

Nigerian ecosystem has been subjected to destruction by petroleum product spillage and other effluents resulting from operational activities of man with little or no regard to aquatic environment. These effluents' constituents have severe toxicological consequences for both the aquatic environment and the people hence a growing interest in exploiting the use of ecofriendly biodegradation approach. The aim of this research is to carry out a comparative chromatographic study of two bacteria species, Alcaligenes 
faecalis and Lysinibacillus sphaericus. The bacteria species were isolated from polluted Okulu River in Rivers State and characterized by molecular technique. Four treatment options were set up labelled A to D using samples from the polluted water body. Thus; Control (A), Alcaligenes faecalis(B) Lysinibacillus sphaericus (C) Alcaligenes faecalis + Lysinibacillus sphaericus (D). Each of the biodegradation experimental set-ups was incubated at room temperature for 42 days and total bacterial count and total petroleum hydrocarbon measured forthnightly. At end of 42 days, the result showed more activity with the mixed culture (99.4 %) followed by Lysinibacillus sphaericus (94.8 %) and Alcaligenes faecalis with 89.3 % reduction rate. The ability to utilize hydrocarbon is evident by the isolates used in this research. Total bacteria count at the end of 42 days were Alcaligenes faecalis (1.7 x 107), Lysinibacillus sphaericus (2.2 x 106) and mixed culture (2.0 x 107). The increasing growth during degradation was attributed to their hydrocarbon assimilating capabilities or adaptation of the strains due to their previous exposure to hydrocarbon in the river. From the result obtained in this research, these microbes have shown hydrocarbon degrading ability and can be used to clean up sites polluted with petroleum hydrocarbon.