Laboratory – Based Bioremediation of Hydrocarbon Polluted Mangrove Swamp Soil in the Niger Delta Using Poultry Wastes

Aim: To assess the sustainable use of poultry wastes in compost bioremediation and the effects of sterile and non – sterile poultry wastes on the bacterial degradation of petroleum in mangrove soil.

Methodology: A laboratory – based study was carried out using sterile and non – sterile poultry wastes.

Place and Duration: Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Port Harcourt, Choba Port Harcourt, Nigeria, between August, 2012 and June, 2013.

Results: In a 42 day study, the sterile poultry wastes treated option had an increase in total logarithmic cultural heterotrophic bacterial count from 5.18 to 7.66 while the non-sterile poultry wastes increased from 5.26 to 7.68. The untreated set up had its total logarithmic culturable heterotrophic bacterial count increased from 5.15 to 6.65. The total logarithmic culturable hydrocarbon utilizing bacteria in SPW and NSPW treated options increased from 3.7 to 7.11, and 3.85 to 7.20, respectively, at which time the corresponding value obtained for untreated increased from 3.60 to 5.59. Statistical analyses showed significant difference at p<0.05 level for three conditions. Hydrocarbon utilizers isolated from poultry wastes were Pseudomonas spp., Bacillus spp., Escherichia spp., and Salmonella spp. At day 42, the percentage loss of total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) was 67.66±0.01%, 62.93±0.06% and 29.43±0.01% in SPW, NSPW and untreated, respectively.

Conclusion: These results showed that application of poultry wastes especially non – sterile poultry wastes can effectively enhance bioremediation of hydrocarbon impacted mangrove soil. This could be attributed to the presence of indigenous hydrocarbon utilizing bacteria in non sterile poultry wastes.