Abstract
The operation of Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemical Company (KRPC) has increased effluent generation with consequent effects on water quality and habitat since it is discharged into nearby receiving water body. These effluents contain heavy metals and other toxicants. Samples were collected from the effluent discharge point of the Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemical Company (KRPC) and from Romi River located at Kaduna South Local Government Area of Kaduna state. Standard methods were used to analyze the physicochemical parameters and heavy metals of the effluents. A total of 14 fungi isolates were identified from the samples. These fungi isolates were screened for their bioremediation potential on some toxic components in refinery effluent and were identified using molecular techniques. Four fungi isolates (Chrysosporium tropicum, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger and Rhizopus oryzae) were selected for bioremediation. Carbon (IV) oxide evolution increased progressively during the period of bioremediation. There was a noticeable decline in the phenol, lead, cadmium and nickel in the entire bioremediation medium. There was a positive correlation between phenol and cadmium with a coefficient of 0.969. Consortia of fungi isolated from the refinery effluent and Romi River samples were effective in the bioremediation of refinery effluent. The mixed consortium of four fungi showed the most efficacies in the bioremediation of refinery effluent in terms of phenol, oil and grease, cadmium, lead and cadmium reduction. Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemical Corporation (KRPC) should adopt bioremediation as one of the techniques in treating effluents before being discharged into receiving water bodies
 Keywords: Effluents, Fungi, heavy metal, bioremediation.
Highlights
Cheap to obtain and it reduces petroleum hydrocarbon in polluted sites with minimum site disturbance
Collection of Refinery Effluent and Water Samples from Romi River: Samples were collected from the effluent discharge point of the Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemical Company (KRPC) and from Romi River (Fig. 1)
Colonial and microscopic characteristics showed that the probable fungi in the samples from the four sampling sites were Chrysosporium tropicum, Aureobasidium pullulans, Arthrographis kalrae, Epidermophyton flocosum, Aspergillus flavus, Madurella grisea, Coccidioides immitis, Penicillium marneffei, Mucor sp, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Aspergillus niger, Rhizopus oryzae, Trichoderma sp and Pseudallescheria boydii
Summary
Cheap to obtain and it reduces petroleum hydrocarbon in polluted sites with minimum site disturbance. Bioremediation is a pollution control technology that uses biological systems to catalyze the degradation of or transformation of various toxic chemicals to less harmful forms. The ability of microorganisms to transform a variety of chemicals has led to their use in bioremediation processes. Fungi growth is reasonably fast enough for application in bioremediation processes (Aust et al, 2003). In addition to their ability to penetrate contaminating substrates, fungi are regarded as superior to bacteria in that they can grow under environmentally stressed conditions (low pH and poor nutrient status), where bacteria are expected to have limited bioactivity (Gadd, 2010). The main objective of this study was to screen fungi isolated from the Kaduna refinery effluent and Romi River with potential for bioremediation
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