Isolation and identification of indigenous hydrocarbon tolerant bacteria fromsoil contaminated with used engine oil in Ogbomoso, Nigeria

Environmental pollution by petroleum hydrocarbons has become a serious problem all around the world. In recent years, many microbial ecologists have identified various microbial species that are effective degraders of hydrocarbons in natural environments. This study was primarily carried to isolate and characterize hydrocarbon degrading bacteria from soil contaminated with used engine oil in Ogbomoso, Nigeria. Five types of indigenous bacteria were isolated and identified from the test soil: they were Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi ,Bacillus cereus, Streptococcus faecium and Proteus vulgaris. It was recommended that ability of the isolated and identified bacteria to bioremediate or utilize hydrocarbons; especially used engine oil should be investigated