Impact of some heavy metals on bacterial utilization of kerosene in liquid medium

Potential petroleum degrading bacteria, Pseudomonas aerogenosa and Micrococcus sp. was isolated from petroleum contaminated soil in petroleum microbiology laboratory, Department of Microbiology University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Hydrocarbon utilization in liquid media was assessed through time – course optical density measurement. Concentrations of the heavy metals ranging from 50 to 200 mg/L were introduced into 100 ml of mineral salt medium containing 10 ml of kerosene inoculated with P. aeruginosa or  Micrococcus sp. and incubated at room temperature (25-30°C) for 384 h. Control samples contained kerosene but no heavy metals. At low concentrations the heavy metals significantly (p Cadmium > Mercury. Key words: Heavy metals, kerosene, bioremediation, bacteria.