Abstract
Bioremediation has been argued to be cheaper and more environmental friendly when compared to other remediation technology. Bioremediation make use of the ability of bacteria and fungi to biodegrade organic compound to cleanup hydrocarbon pollution. Many fungi have been shown to biodegrade simple and complex polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon. In this study, petroleum hydrocarbon degrading fungi have been isolated and identified by microscopic and macroscopic methods in oil polluted soil. The polluted soil samples were collected from an oil polluted site within an oil bearing community in Bayelsa state of Nigeria. Eight different strains of fungi were isolated and identified and they include, Penicillium spp, Candida species, Aspergillus niger, Mucor spp, Rhodotorulla spp, Rhizopus, Trichorderma spp and Cladospermorium spp. Population of hydrocarbon degrading fungi, isolated from the soil collected in three different sampling stations are 5.3x104, 8.3x103 and 2.51x104 Cfu/g for station 1, 2 and 3, respectively. While total hetetrophilic fungi are 3.6x105, 7.1x105, and 9.51x106.Cfu/g, Penicillium spp , A. niger, Mucor spp, Rhodotorulla spp, Rhizopus, Phanerochaete spp, Alternaria alternate, Fusarium spp are strains of fungi that have been discovered by different scholars to degrade different components of petroleum. This study has revealed that oil polluted soil in the Niger Delta is habited by hydrocarbon degrading fungi, which can be biostimulated to enhance oil pollution cleanup in the area. Key words: Bioremediation, biodegradation, fungi, polluted soil biostimulate, isolated and identified.
Highlights
Fungi are group of microorganisms scientifically regarded as non-green plants
While total hetetrophilic fungi are 3.6x105, 7.1x105, and 9.51x106.Cfu/g, Penicillium spp, A. niger, Mucor spp, Rhodotorulla spp, Rhizopus, Phanerochaete spp, Alternaria alternate, Fusarium spp are strains of fungi that have been discovered by different scholars to degrade different components of petroleum
This study has revealed that oil polluted soil in the Niger Delta is habited by hydrocarbon degrading fungi, which can be biostimulated to enhance oil pollution cleanup in the area
Summary
Fungi are group of microorganisms scientifically regarded as non-green plants. They are widely distributed in the environment and mostly found in moist dark places.While some are harmful as a result of their toxic secretion, some are edible. Fungi are group of microorganisms scientifically regarded as non-green plants. They are widely distributed in the environment and mostly found in moist dark places. While some are harmful as a result of their toxic secretion, some are edible. Like some bacteria and Protists, fungi digest insoluble organic matter by secreting exoenzymes, which absorb the solubilized nutrients (Prescott et al, 2008). Molds, mushroom, mildews and some other types of fungi are wide spread in the environment and help to breakdown complex organic matter. The ability of fungi and some bacteria to breakdown complex organic and harmful matter into simple and harmless or less toxic compounds which assimilates them as food, has made them useful and find application in the science of environmental restoration (Bioremediation)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
