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Asian Journal of Biological Sciences

Year: 2012 | Volume: 5 | Issue: 1 | Page No.: 46-51
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Authors

S.A. Wemedo

O. Obire

N.P. Akani

Keywords

Research Article

Bacterial Population of an Oilfield Wastewater in Nigeria

S.A. Wemedo, O. Obire and N.P. Akani
An investigation of bacterial population of an oilfield wastewater was done for 5 months and 2 seasons (dry and wet) in 2009. Freshly-produced oilfield wastewater samples were analyzed for Aerobic Heterotrophic Bacteria (AHB) and Hydrocarbon-utilizing Bacteria (HUB) using standard procedures. Mean monthly counts of aerobic heterotrophic bacteria (x104 cfu mL-1) and hydrocarbon-utilizing bacteria (x103 cfu mL-1) were: Dec. 13.2±9 and 0.66±0; Jan. 15.2±13 and 13.4±12; Mar. 8.4±6 and 0.18±0; Jul. 14.5±9 and 0.11±0; Aug. 9.9±4 and 0.17±0, respectively. Dry season recorded mean counts (x104 cfu mL-1) of 14.3±8 (AHB) and 7.0±9 (HUB) while wet season had mean counts (x103 cfu mL-1) of 12.3±5 and 0.14±0 aerobic heterotrophic bacteria and hydrocarbon-utilizing bacteria, respectively. Fourteen species of heterotrophic bacteria isolated included Pseudomonas (16%), Klebsiella and Staphylococcus (13%), Corynebacterium, Enterobacter and Proteus (9%), Acinetobacter and Micrococcus (6%); Alcaligenes, Bacillus, Chromobacterium, Citrobacter, Clostridium and Flavobacterium (3%). Eleven species of hydrocarbon-utilizing bacteria isolated included Acinetobacter and Bacillus (15%), Klebsiella, Micrococcus, Proteus, Pseudomonas and Staphylococcus (10%), Alcaligenes, Corynebacterium, Flavobacterium and Serratia (5%). Monthly fluctuations of bacterial population occurred in the wastwater and number of bacteria were higher in dry season than wet season. Bacteria survive in wastewater and hydrocarbon-utilizing bacteria can be isolated from the wastewater and used for clean up of petroleum contaminated soil.
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