Authors: S. A. Balogun, O. E. Faqade
African Journal of Microbiology Research VoL 4(9), pp. 730 734, 4 May 2010
Available online http://www.academicjournals.org/ajmr
ISSN 1996 0808 @ 2010 Academic Journals

Abstract
The study reports the diversity of emulsifying bacteria in produce water obtained from Bonny Oil
Terminal, Niger Delta, Nigeria. Physico-chemical analysis of produce water showed a high chloride ion

 

content of 650.0 mg/L. Total aerobic mesophilic bacterial count was 8.6 x 106 CFU/ml, while the oil
utilizing bacterial count was 1.32 x 106 CFU/mL. The predominant bacteria genera were Bacillus,
Pseudomonas, Serratia and Klebsiella. The ratio of the surface active agent producers in the mesophilic bacteria was 0.34%, while 2.2% was recorded among the oil utilizing bacteria. The highest
emulsification and de-emulsification indices of 65 and 50% recorded respectively were for
Pseudomonas mallei. The result obtained was discussed in relation to the use of the emulsifying
bacteria in microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) in the Niger Delta, Nigeria.