Biodiversity and Phylogenetic Relationship of Total Hydrocarbon Degrading Genes in Selected Bacteria Species

Hydrocarbons which forms the bulk of soil and water pollutants in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria differs in their susceptibility to microbial attack and degradation. Considering the importance of hydrocarbons in the economy of any nation, a complete knowledge of the hydrocarbons degrading capabilities of associated microbial species becomes increasingly important and indispensable. The research was aimed at assessing the biodiversity and phylogenetic relationship of hydrocarbon degrading genes in selected bacteria species. Sequences of nucleotides and amino acids of hydrocarbons degrading genes in 12 species of bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa I & II, P. stutgeni, Thalassosqir spp. I & II, Alcavorox spp., Arthrobacter spp., Martellela spp., P. taenensis, Aneuribacillus species, Rhodococcus spp. and Uncultured bacteria, were retrieved from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) and analysed for their variability in physicochemical properties, percentage identity and similarity, G-C content, secondary and tertiary structures, their biodiversity and their phylogenetic relationship using MEGA 6 soft-wares, GOR IV, Phyre, Genscan and SIB Protparam. The analysis showed great genetic diversity and polymorphism in the hydrocarbon degrading genes present in the bacteria species. The phylogenetic tree showed that the genes in most species had undergone mutation. Martella spp had the highest probability or chance of mutating with E-value of 7e-129. Only two of the bacteria species had low instability index indicating that majority of the bacteria species contains or possessed the unstable nature of the hydrocarbon degrading genes. The biodiversity of bacterial species and their genetic distance was ascertained.

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Meteorological Variables That Affect Visibility Degradation and Their Seasonal Trends in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria

Journal of Geography Environment and Earth Science International ◽

10.9734/jgeesi/2019/v19i330084 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 1-10

Author(s):

C. O. Nwokocha ◽

C. U. Okujagu ◽

P. I. Enyinna

Keyword(s):

Relative Humidity ◽

Wind Direction ◽

Niger Delta ◽

Delta Region ◽

Niger Delta Region ◽

Visibility Degradation ◽

Port Harcourt ◽

Environmental Prediction ◽

Atmospheric Changes ◽

Relationship Of

The study of visibility in the Niger Delta region is necessary because it reflects the atmospheric changes caused by economic expansion in Nigeria. Cities in the Niger Delta (especially Port Harcourt) are the most polluted cities in the country and therefore visibility degradation has become one of the major environmental challenge in Nigeria. Analysis of a 31 years (1981-2012) monthly mean horizontal visibility data and monthly mean datasets of meteorological parameters such as relative humidity and wind direction obtained from Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) and the National Centre for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) for Calabar, Uyo, Port Harcourt, Owerri, Warri and Akure was done using statistical techniques. A correlation analysis was done and the annual visibility variability indexes from (NIMET) shows significant correlation with the (NCEP) datasets for R/humidity at r=0.1334 and Wind direction at r=0.1210 respectively at 90% confidence level from t-test. This study concluded that the relationship of the atmospheric visibility and meteorological factors are closely related. The results showed that visibility is more correlated with Relative humidity in places with high hydrocarbon activities leading to excess aerosol loading like Port Harcourt while it is better correlated with wind direction in places with less hydrocarbon activities like Calabar and Akure. The results of this study can assist policy makers and operators in establishing positive strategies to improve the air quality.

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Binary, Bipartite Motifs and Counter-Hegemonic Strategies in Tanure Ojaide’s The Activist

International Journal of English and Comparative Literary Studies ◽

10.47631/ijecls.v2i5.318 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2 (5) ◽

pp. 39-52

Author(s):

Charles Feghabo ◽

Blessing Omoregie

Keyword(s):

Niger Delta ◽

Postcolonial Theory ◽

Living Environment ◽

Military Government ◽

Oil Companies ◽

Niger Delta Region ◽

Binary Relationship ◽

The People ◽

Oil Politics ◽

Relationship Of

Language use is central to Tanure Ojaide’s The Activist, negotiating a better living environment for the people of the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Most literary essays on this text, however, overlook Ojaide’s deployment of language to achieve his subversive vision. The text has been interpreted as environmentalism colored by an ideology or artistic documentation of the despoiled ecosystem, its effects on humans, the flora and fauna of the Niger Delta, and the consequential eco-activism. Another read of the text, however, reveals a binary relationship of dominance and subversion in which language is significant to both sides of the intercourse. The existence of dominance and resistance, therefore, necessitates the analysis of the text drawing from the Subaltern theory, an aspect of the Postcolonial theory to which dominance and resistance are central. This essay examines the deployment of language as a hegemonic and subversive tool in the oil politics in the Niger Delta. The binary relationship is couched in bi-partite motifs captured in epithets and contrasting images. In the binary, the multinational oil companies operating in the Niger Delta yoked with the Nigerian military government, are juxtaposed with the people and the Niger Delta as oppressors and the oppressed. Through bipartite motifs that abound in the text, Ojaide concretizes the duality in the Nigerian society vis-a-vis the oil politics in the Niger Delta. In the duality, language is reinvented and mobilized significantly by both sides as a tool for demonizing and excluding each other to enable the subjugation or subversion of the other.

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Microbial dynamics and physico-chemical properties of artisanal refinery polluted environment in Niger Delta

GSC Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences ◽

10.30574/gscbps.2021.15.3.0142 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 15 (3) ◽

pp. 001-015

Author(s):

Mobene Eneriene Luke ◽

Lucky Obukowho Odokuma ◽

Chimezie Jason Ogugbue

Keyword(s):

Niger Delta ◽

Bacterial Species ◽

Bacterial Load ◽

Chemical Properties ◽

Pollution Index ◽

Environmental Water ◽

Microbial Dynamics ◽

Soil Matrix ◽

Niger Delta Region ◽

Physico Chemical

Artisanal refining of crude oil is a common practice in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria and this has continuously posed serious environmental and health risks. This was designed to investigate the microbial dynamics and physico-chemical properties of environmental (water, sediment and soil) matrix of impacted by artisanal refining activities. Three sampling locations (Bolo, River’s state; Ekpemu, Delta state; and Twon-Brass, Bayelsa state) were studied. Finding revealed that the total heterotrophic bacterial (THB) load of the recipient water from Twon-Brass had the least count of 2.0 ±0.2 x 104cfu/ml, followed by Ekpemu (2.1 ±0.3 x 103cfu/ml), then Bolo (2.35±0.6 x 104cfu/ml). In the contrary, recipient water body in Ekpemu had the least HUB load (1.8 ±0.1 x 103cfu/ml) followed by Bolo (2.0 ±0.3 x 104cfu/ml), and Twon-Brass (2.0 ±0.8 x 104cfu/ml). The bacterial load of the un-impacted aquatic matrix revealed a higher heterotrophic bacterial load (5.8+ 0.30 x 105cfu/ml) and low HUB load (0.2+ 0.21 x 103cfu/ml). In the sediment, Bodo had the least THB load of 2.1 ±0.2 x 105cfu/g, followed by Twon-Brass (2.3 ±0.6 x 105cfu/g), and Ekpemu (2.9 ±0.3 x 105cfu/g).Bolo and Twon-Brass soil were also highly impacted with hydrocarbons with a pollution index close to 1 (HUB/THB ratio = 0.9) while Ekpemu had a pollution index of 0.7. Bacterial species associated with the samples were Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas putida, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were predominant in all the sample locations. Similarly, the artisanal refining activities also altered the physico-chemical properties of the various environmental matrix studied. Based on the finding of this study, it can be predicted that bioremediation various environmental matrix by natural attenuation is ongoing as most of the organisms isolated are hydrocarbon degraders. However, it is recommended that artisanal refining activities should be discouraged.

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Phylogenetic Relationship of Bacterial Species Involved in Bioremediation of Hydrocarbon Polluted Soils

Annual Research & Review in Biology ◽

10.9734/arrb/2019/v32i630104 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 1-13

Author(s):

R. B. Agbor ◽

S. P. Antai

Keyword(s):

Crude Oil ◽

Phylogenetic Relationship ◽

Bacterial Species ◽

Soil Samples ◽

Bacterial Counts ◽

Top Soil ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Enterobacter Asburiae ◽

Proteus Penneri ◽

Relationship Of

The bio-stimulation of hydrocarbon degrading microbial population in soil using agricultural wastes was carried out. Top soil (0-25 cm depth) from three points were bulked to form composite soil samples, 6 kg each of the composite soil sample was weighed and transferred into 150 plastic buckets with drainage holes at the base. The soil in each plastic bucket was spiked with 300 ml crude oil and amended with different concentrations of agro-wastes and allowed for duration of 30, 60 and 90 days. The soil samples were then collected and analysed for both total heterotrophic bacterial counts and crude-oil utilizing bacterial counts. Data collected were subjected to a three-way analysis of variance and significant means were separated using Least Significant Difference Test at 5% probability level. The result showed that the application of the amendments increased the bacterial counts in the soil at different treatment levels. However, a higher proliferation rate was observed with bacteria counts exposed to higher waste concentrations compared to their counterparts exposed to lower waste concentrations. The phylogenetic relationship of the hydrocarbon degrading bacterial species shows that the identified bacteria were in two clusters: cluster 1 consist of Bacillus cereus, Bacillus thuringiensis, Bacillus altitudinis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis and Proteus penneri, while cluster 2 consist of Serratia marcescens, Providencia rettgeri and Enterobacter asburiae. The bacterial species obtained shows a greater relationship, this imply that the similarity of the bacterial species could be the reason for their high proficiency in degrading the hydrocarbons in the soil.

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