EFFECT OF EXCHANGEABLE Mg, Ca, Na and K ON BACTERIA GROWTH AND BIODEGRADATION OF PETROLEUM POLLUTED MANGROVES

One of the major environmental problems today is hydrocarbon contamination resulting from the activities related to the petrochemical industry. Accidental releases of petroleum products are of particular concern in the environment. Hydrocarbon components have been known to belong to the family of carcingogens and neurotoxic organic pollutants. Currently accepted disposal methods of incineration or burial insecure landfills can become prohibitively expensive when amounts of contaminations are large. Mechanical and chemical method used to remove hrydocarbon from contaminated sites have limited effectiveness and can be expensive. Bioremediation is the proising technology for the treatment of these contaminated sites since it cost effective and will lead to compete mineralization. Bioremediation functions basically on bioremediation which may refer to complete minieralization of organic contaminants into carbon dioxide, water, inorganic compounds and cell protein or transformation of complex organic contaminants to other simpler organic compounds by and by biological agents like microorganism in water and soil are capable of the degrading hydrocarbon contaminants. This paper presents an updated overview of petroleum hydrocarbon degradation by microorganisms under different ecosystems.