Microbial Community Profiling of Spent-oil Contaminated Soil in Odukpani, Nigeria

The evaluation of microbiological and heavy metals concentration of oil contaminated soil samples from three different locations, thus; Okurikang, Inuakpa and Creek Town of Odukpani Local Government Area of Cross River State was investigated. The Total Heterotrophic Bacteria (THB) count ranged from 1.09x103 to 3.6x103cfu/ml, 1.11x103 to 6.4x103 cfu/ml, and 1.26x103 to 4.6X103 cfu/ml for the three locations respectively and the Hydrocarbon Utilizing bacteria (HUB) population obtained ranged from 2.28×103 to 7.24×103cfu/ml, 1.63×103 to 6.96×103cfu/ml and 1.62×103 to 7.57×103cfu/ml respectively foSr the three locations. The percentage occurrence of bacteria isolates for THB includes; Enterobacter cloacae 27.27%, Lactobacillus sp 45.45%, Mycobacterium sp 18.18% and Enterobacter aerogenese 9.09%, the percentage occurrence of bacteria isolates for HUB includes; Acinetobacter calcoaccticus 18.18%, Micrococcus sp 36.36% and Pseudomonas aeruginosa 45.45%. The levels of physicochemical properties; pH, Nitrate, Nitrite, Phosphate, Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Lead, Cobalt, Nickel, Iron, Ammonia and electrical conductivity obtained varied greatly with each soil sample. These findings provide adequate information on the microbial levels and heavy metals concentration of oil contaminated soil in Odukpani, Nigeria.