ISOLATION AND SCREENING OF HEAVY METAL RESISTANT AMMONIA OXIDIZING BACTERIA FROM SOIL AND WASTE DUMP: A POTENTIAL CANDIDATES FOR BIOREMEDIATION OF HEAVY METALS

Abstract

The study was undertaken to examine the response of ammonia oxidizing bacteria to different heavy metal salt in an elevated concentration. Surface soil samples at depth of 0-15 cm were collected at random from Akwa Ibom State University in Akwa Ibom State, soil sample from University of Nigeria, Nsukka and from solid waste disposal site in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. The response of heavy metal salt on Ammonia Oxidizing bacteria(AOB) isolated from soil samples were investigated by supplementing different heavy metal salts namely, copper(Cu),nickel (Ni), lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) at four loading rates(100,200,500,1000 {micro}g/ml) in mineral salt broth with Ammonia Oxidizing Bacteria (AOB) isolate. The cultures were incubated for 7 days. Growth of AOB was measured by withdrawing samples from the medium every 24 hours and absorbance of the turbidity measured at 600 nanometre using spectrophotometer. All bacteria showed high tendency to decrease optical density while increasing metal concentration in the medium. Tolerance for the metal ions was dependent on concentration, time and the isolate tested. All the Ammonia oxidizing bacterial (AOB) showed a high level of tolerance for the metals tested, and exhibited good growth at all metal salt concentrations tested. These make the nitrifying bacteria attractive potential candidates for further investigations regarding their ability to remove metals from contaminated soil.\n\nIMPORTANCEThe aim of this study is tolerance of ammonia oxidizing bacteria growth to heavy metal. Nitrifying bacteria remain a good option for bioremediation of soil and waste dump, since it is regarded as eco-friendly and efficient in biosorption of heavy metal. The study is significant to the field of environmental microbiology by adding to knowledge in bioremediation.