Agbam Chioma Juliet1, Oladosu Micheal Abimbola2, Moses Adondua Abah Olukunle3, Oluwatoyin Folake4, Okabeonye Sunday Agbo5, Odey Peter Odey6, Ezeamii Gerald Chekwube7, Igwe Ejikeme Peter8, Ephraim Fimbaya Chua9, Tobi David Farinde10, Olutayo Nathanael Farinde11, Puorizaa Titus12, Omotosho Damilola Justina3, Julius Sarah Oluwaseun13
1Department of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Federal University of Technology Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria.
2Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Basics Medical Sciences, University of Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria
3Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biosciences, Federal University Wukari, Taraba State, Nigeria
4Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Science, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo state
5Department of Applied Biology and Biotechnology, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Agbani, Nigeria.
6Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Port Harcourt, P.M.B. 5323, East-West Rd., Choba, Rivers State, Nigeria
7Department of Applied Instrumentation and Control, School of Computing, Engineering and Built Environment, Glasgow Caledonian University, UK
8Department of Applied Biochemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu State, Nigeria
10Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Public Health, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo state, Nigeria.
11Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43606, USA
12Department of Chemistry, School of Integrative Biological and Chemical Sciences (SIBCS), University: University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), USA.
13Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, University of Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
Received: Feb 22, 2026/ Revised: Mar 23, 2026/Accepted: Mar 28, 2026
Corresponding Author: m.abah@fuwukari.edu.ng
Abstract
Petroleum pollution remains a significant environmental challenge, posing risks to ecosystems, groundwater quality, agricultural productivity, and human health due to the toxicity of hydrocarbons. This study aimed to investigate the bioremediation potential of indigenous microorganisms isolated from petroleum-contaminated soil collected from mechanic workshops at FUTA junction, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria. Petroleum-polluted soil samples were collected in sterile containers and transported to the microbiology laboratory, where they were stored at 4°C. Microorganisms were isolated and characterized based on their morphological and biochemical properties. Bacterial isolates included Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, Enterobacter aerogenes, Micrococcus luteus, and Staphylococcus aureus; fungal isolates included Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus terreus, Aspergillus ustus, and Candida species. The bacterial load ranged from 1.87 × 10⁷ to 2.52 × 10⁸ cfu/ml, while the fungal load ranged from 6.4 × 10⁵ to 1.3 × 10⁶ sfu/ml. Biodegradation potential was assessed by monitoring pH variation, optical density, and free CO₂ production as indicators of hydrocarbon metabolism. Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Aspergillus terreus exhibited the highest biodegradation efficiency. Biochemical characterization revealed diverse metabolic capabilities among isolates: Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis produced spores; Micrococcus luteus and Enterobacter aerogenes were citrate positive; all isolates except Enterobacter aerogenes were urease positive; various fermentation patterns were observed across glucose, mannitol, maltose, lactose, and sorbitol substrates. Hydrocarbon-degrading microorganisms can be readily isolated from petroleum-polluted soils, and the high degradative abilities observed, particularly for Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Aspergillus terreus, demonstrate their potential applicability in large-scale bioremediation efforts.
Keywords: Bioremediation, Hydrocarbon, Microorganisms, Genetic engineering, Enzymes, Pollution
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How to cite this article
Agbam, C. J., Oladosu, M. A., Abah Olukunle, M. A., Oluwatoyin, F., Okabeonye, S. A., Odey, P. O., Ezeamii, G. C., Igwe, E. P., Chua, E. F., Farinde, T. D., Farinde, O. N., Puorizaa, T., Omotosho, D. J., & Oluwaseun, J. S. (2026). Isolation and characterization of petroleum-degrading microorganisms from contaminated soil for bioremediation. Microbial Science Archives, 6(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.47587/MSA.2026.6101
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