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Extensive petroleum hydrocarbon exploration activities often lead to the pollution of the environment, which could result to disastrous consequences for the biotic and abiotic components of the ecosystem if not restored. Natural bioremediation is the only economic and friendly solution to restore the devastating environmental damage that may arise from oil pollution. This study is therefore aimed at determining the capability of some bacteria to bioremediate bonnylight crude oil contaminated and uncontaminated samples using gravimetric analysis. Crude oil degrading bacteria were isolated from different oil contaminated soil and water samples from Rivers State using standard microbiological techniques. The isolates were identified using morphological and biochemical appearances. It was observed that the isolates belong to six bacterial genera of Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Escherichia, Micrococcus, Bacillus and Corynebacterium. The total bacterial counts in uncontaminated samples were higher compared to the contaminated samples. The gravimetric monitoring of degradation process carried out on the isolates degrading capability shows that they were able to degrade bonnylight crude oil in variable rates. The isolated Staphylococcus spp and Streptococcus spp were found to be the highest degrader of bonnylight crude oil. Therefore, these isolates have the potential for bioremediation of crude oil contaminated soil and water, hence, they can be used in the environmental management of oil spills.
Keywords: Biodegradation, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Gravimetric, Bioremediation