Crude oil pollution indices and microbial sustainability protocol in the Iko River estuary

ABSTRACT The diverse microbial dynamics in polluted ecosystems such as the Iko River estuary offer a resounding opportunity for bioremediation strategies. This research assessed the microbiological, physicochemical, and crude-oil pollution indices in Iko River estuary and the ecosystem sustainability processes. Standard microbiological and analytical methods were employed in the collection and analysis of the samples. From the results obtained, the mean values of microbial counts for the various parameters and microhabitats were 8.0 ± 0.98 (×107), 2.34 ± 0.10 (×107), and 2.36 ± 0.92 (×107) – THB, 1.46 ± 0.18 (×106), 1.56 ± 0.10 (×106), and 1.76 ± 0.2 (×106) – CUB, 1.39 ± 0.18 (×106). The hydrocarbon fractions were total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) 36.9–296.1, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) 21.6–188.4, and benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) 12.9–115.4. From the results, the high level of microbial proliferation in the estuary is mainly due to the constant inflow of petroleum-based contaminants and other industrial polluting agents resulting in an enriched microbial ecosystem with the required capabilities of surviving toxic and stressed environment. A standardized microbiological and physicochemical catalogue in the Iko River estuary has been developed by this study and has revealed that the estuary is polluted by heavy metals and petroleum hydrocarbons due to the anthropogenic activities in the area such as oil exploration and exploitation and other navigational and industrial processes.