Some physico-chemical and biological characteristics of soil and water samples of part of the Niger Delta area, Nigeria

Environmental conditions that influence biocorrosion in the Niger Delta area of Nigeria are investigated experimentally by analysing the physico-chemical and biological characteristics of four (4) soil samplesand water samples taken from ten (10) selected river bodies in the region. Measured properties of the water samples and the corresponding results are pH (4.5 to 6.5), temperature (26.9 to 28.7 0C), electrical conductivity (18.9 to 156.4us/cm), turbidity (19 to 48NTU), redox potential (-372 to +202mV), TDS (78 to 8450mg/l), TOC (17.3 to 38.7mg/l), nitrate ions (6.1 to 17.0mg/l), sulphate ions (0.8 to 13.6mg/l), DO (4.1 to 5.7mg/l), and microbial population (105 to 106 cfu/ml), while those of the soil samples are water content (37 to 51%), organic matter (9.4 to 18.9% dry weight), nitrate ions (0.71 to 1.82 mg/l), sulphate ions (2.1 to 5.8 mg/l) and microbial population (104 to 106 cfu/g). It shown through comparison of experimental results with literature that the levels of the measured properties for both water and soil correspond to an environment that promotes biocorrosio

Investigation Of The Microbial-Induced Corrosion Potential Of Soils In Southern Ijaw Lga In Niger Delta, Nigeria

Investigation of sulphate-reducing bacteria induced corrosion potential of soils along 18-inch 45km Tebidaba/Brass underground oil pipeline in Southern Ijaw LGA of Bayelsa State, Nigeria, is carried out experimentally. The analysis involves determination of some physico-chemical parameters of soils in the pipeline route, and testing corrosion products formed on the surfaces of X60 steel coupon buried in the soils for one year. It is shown that the soils are clayey in nature and highly corrosive with high population of sulphate-reducing bacteria (104 – 106 cfu/g). The ranges of other measured properties of the soils (pH (4.8 – 5.2), temperature (17 – 21oC), water content (79 – 89 %), organic matter (10.7 – 15.6 % dry wt), redox potential (–79 to –95mV), sulphate (0.8 – 13.6mg/l)) favour growth of sulphate-reducing bacteria. Black deposits on the surfaces of the buried coupons are iron sulphide resulting from attack on the metal by sulphate-reducing bacteria in the soils. Keywords: sulphate-reducing bacteria; soil; corrosion; pipeline; crude oilGlobal Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences Vol. 14 (3) 2008: pp. 325-33

Studies in the suitability of NPK-15-15-15 fertilizer, animal dung, and petroleum agar as Nutrient Supplements for growth of microorganisms

The suitability of three nutrient supplements (NPK-15-15-15 fertilizer, petroleum agar, and animal (cattle) dung) in promoting growth of microorganisms in produced water and crude-oil-contaminated soil are investigated experimentally. The analysis involves monitoring the total microbial count (TMC) in produced water and crude-oil-contaminated soil samples treated with the different nutrient supplements. After a test period of 10 weeks, the TMC in produced water treated with NPK, petroleum agar, and cattle dung was 105 cfu/ml, 103 cfu/ml, and 102 cfu/ml respectively; while the TMC in soil treated with NPK, petroleum agar, and cattle dung was 104 cfu/g, 10 cfu/g, and 102 cfu/g respectively. NPK-15-15-15 fertilizer exhibits the best characteristics as nutrient supplement for the microorganisms in both the produced water and crude-oil-contaminated soil; followed by petroleum agar and then cattle dung for produced water, but followed by cattle dung and then petroleum agar for crude-oil-contaminated soil. Keywords: NPK fertilizer; Petroleum agar; Cattle dung; Microbes; Nutrient.Global Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences Vol. 14 (3) 2008: pp. 285-28

Variability with depth of some physico-chemical and biological parameters of Atlantic Ocean water in part of the coastal area of Nigeria

Results of in-situ measurements of some physico-chemical and biological parameters (temperature, electrical conductivity, density, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, pH, and salinity) of Atlantic Ocean water at various depths are presented. It is shown that temperature and dissolved oxygen vary significantly with depth, while variations of the other parameters with depth are minimal. Temperature, dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity, density, pH, and salinity vary in the ranges: 3.60C–28.320C, 1.8mg/l–8.4mg/l, 3 . 29 ì s/cm – 4 .71 ì s/cm, 1017 .34 kg//m 3 –1036 .61 kg//m 3 , 7.1–8.4, and 34.52ppt –35.8ppt respectively. Turbidity is less than1.0NTU, indicating that the water is clear and transparent