BIODEGRADATION OF POLYNUCLEAR AROMATICHYDROCARBONS USING INDIGENOUS STRAINS OF BACTERIAFOR SUSTAINABLE SOIL DEVELOPMENT

16S rRNA gene sequence analyses of the four isolates from a former industrial site (OC1, OC2, OC3, and OC4) were assigned to the genus, Enterobacter (OC1) and Pseudomonas (OC2, OC3, and OC4). The degradation and growth behaviour of the four isolates were investigated on naphthalene, fluoranthene, pyrene and chrysene. All the strains utilized naphthalene, fluoranthene, chrysene but pyrene partially, as sole sources of carbon and energy. The time course studies using relative concentration> 100, >115, > 89 and> 12 ppm for naphthalene, fluoranthene, pyrene and chrysene respectively, resulted in rapid exponential increases in cell numbers and concomitant disappearance of the test substrates. Naphthalene was degraded between the range of 25 and 99%, while chrysene degradation ranged between 35 and 69%, pyrene 4 -21% and fluoranthene 7 -19 %. Our results suggest that contaminated, former industrial sites contain a capable microbial community that may be used for bioremediation of the site for sustainable soil development