Isolation and Molecular Characterization of Indigenous <i>Mycobacterium</i> Strains From Refinery‐Contaminated Soils: Assessing Interactions With Pollutants and Soil Quality Enhancement Potential

ABSTRACT This study aimed to isolate and characterize biodegrading Mycobacterium strains from refinery‐contaminated soils and evaluate their interactions with environmental pollutants and their potential in enhancing soil quality. Thirty‐six soil samples were analyzed to isolate the PAH/heavy metal biodegrading mycobacteria. Soil quality parameters and barley growth indices were evaluated to determine ecological impacts after bioremediation. From 36 samples, 13 (36.11%) Mycobacterium isolates were identified. Among this, M. austroafricanum 3 isolates (23.07%), M. chubuense and M. celeriflavum 2 isolates (15.38%) were the prevalent species. CFU ranged from 1.0 × 10 4 to 2.0 × 10 6 /while TPH, PAHs and heavy metals were measured at 120–8500, 10–350 and 15–120 mg/kg, respectively. Mycobacterium gilvum and Mycobacterium smegmatis exhibited &gt; 60% degradation of both PAHs and heavy metals, while Mycobacterium austroafricanum and Mycobacterium vaccae primarily degraded PAHs, and Megalaima franklinii and M. houstonense were effective in reducing heavy metals. M. gilvum significantly enhanced barley growth ( p &lt; 0.05), whereas Mycobacterium chubuense had minimal impact. These findings highlight the potential of indigenous Mycobacterium species as an effective approach for bioremediation and soil restoration.