Isolation and identification of microorganisms from bitumen, and soil around bitumen deposit site

UZOCHUKWU FRANCIS OKPO 1, * and Abiola Titilola Aborisade 2

1 Department of Integrated Science, Nwafor Orizu College of Education, Nsugbe, Anambra State, Nigeria.
2 Department of Biology, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria.
 
Research Article
International Journal of Scholarly Research and Reviews, 2023, 02(02), 089–095.
Article DOI: 10.56781/ijsrr.2023.2.2.0044
Publication history: 
Received on 14 April 2023; revised on 31 May 2023; accepted on 03 June 2023
 
Abstract: 
Isolation of microorganisms from hydrocarbon and oil polluted environment has been reported over the years. This study focused on the isolation and identification of microorganisms from bitumen, and soil around bitumen deposit site. Microorganisms were isolated from soil sample collected around bitumen deposit and bitumen itself using pour plate method. The cultural and morphological characteristics of each bacteria isolates such as colony shape, elevation, pigmentation, colour, cell shape, gram reaction, motility, and endospore test were carried out. From the result, the following bacteria were identified; Acinetobacter sp (soil and bitumen), Pseudomonas Aeruginosa (soil), Bacillus subtilis (soil and bitumen), Staphylococcus aureus (soil). Mould isolation was carried out by cutting a small portion of mycelium, stained it with cotton blue in lactophenol and the examined carefully under light microscope with x40 0bjective. The result revealed the following mould isolates; Aspergillus niger and Arthrobotrys oligospora both isolated from the soil. The result showed the isolation of microorganisms from bitumen and soil around bitumen deposit, thus their potential usefulness in remediation of bitumen polluted environment if the exploitation of the resource commenced.
 
Keywords: 
Hydrocarbon; Bitumen; Nigeria; Bacteria; Mould​
 
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