Biodegradation of Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon by a Consortium of Cyanobacteria Isolated from Crude Oil Polluted Brackish Waters of Bodo Creeks in Ogoniland, Rivers State

This study was carried out to determine the capability of isolated cyanobacteria species from crude oil polluted Bodo creek. Isolation of pure cultures of cyanobacteria was done and the isolates obtained were identified molecularly on the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. The 16S rRNA sequencing for identification of the isolates generated sequences ranging from $600 bp and a 250 bp size PCR amplified fragment. The nucleotide sequence of the 16S rRNA gene was compared with published 16S rRNA sequences using BLAST search at the data base of National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). Biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbon by the isolates was monitored using GC-FID (Agilent 6890 model) for 49 days. The initial quantity of TPH was 29882 and 753.7 mg LG 1 on day 0 and day 49, respectively. Loss of TPH was statistically significant using one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) p<0.05 with time.