Optimization of petroleum hydrocarbons degradation process in contaminated environments process could be feasible through the use of biosurfactant-producing bacteria. The aim of this study was to investigate crude oil degradation potential of biosurfactant-producing bacteria isolated from marine ecosystem in Nigeria. Sediment and water samples were collected from ten marine ecosystem locations within Nigeria and physicochemical analyses were carried out on them. Isolates were identified and screened for biosurfactant production and crude oil degradation for 7 days. The screened isolates were assayed for biosurfactant production and crude oil degradation for 35 days and analysed every 7 days interval for changes in pH, OD and TPH content. The strains with the highest yield were identified using molecular method. The results showed that twenty bacterial isolates were isolated from the ecosystem. The identified screened isolates revealed Pseudomonas sp. -ILAw, Pseudomonas sp. -OGUw, Pseudomonas aeruginosa-IDDOs, Pseudomonas aeruginosa-IDDOw, Escherichia sp. -MAKs, Pseudomonas aeruginosa-MAKw, Pseudomonas sp. -OWOs, Micrococcus sp. -OWOw, Pseudomonas aeruginosa-UNIw, Pseudomonas aeruginosa-AGBw, Pseudomonas aeruginosa-DSBs, Pseudomonas aeruginosa-DSBw, Pseudomonas aeruginosa-OKOs, Pseudomonas aeruginosa-OKOw and Pseudomonas aeruginosa-MIDw to have potentials for biosurfactant production and crude oil degradation. From the assay, isolates with the highest biosurfactant production using Emulsification index were Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain sihong₈20₁1, Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain P73 and Escherichia hermannii strain K167 with values 68%, 56% and 56% respectively while the isolates with the lowest yield of crude oil degradation of 50% efficacy are Pseudomonas aeruginosa-IDDOw and Pseudomonas sp. -ILAw. From these results, it is inferred that biosurfactant-producing bacteria isolated from marine ecosystem within Nigeria can efficiently degrade crude oil in contaminated sites.
Aina et al. (Mon,) studied this question.