The isolation of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria in topsoil and subsoil samples of
selected mechanic workshops located in the Benin metropolis was carried out. The highest and
lowest bacterial counts in topsoil samples were found out to be 2.94 x 10
6 CFU/g and 2.39 x 10
6
CFU/g in CENTRAL road and OGBELAKA road automobile workshops respectively. The
highest and lowest bacterial counts in subsoil samples were found out to be 1.14 x 10
6 CFU/g and
1.09 x 10
6 CFU/g in OGBELAKA r oad and CENTRAL road automobile workshops
respectively. The bacterial species isolated were
Bacillus
spp.,
Pseudomonas
spp.,
Staphylococcus
spp. and
Streptococcus
spp. The isolates were also subjected to hydrocarbon
degradation/utilization test where it was observed that
Pseudomonas spp utilized the hydrocarbon
in the medium more efficiently than the other isolates. The isolates from this study are thus
recommended as bacterial species for possible use in bioremediation of hydrocarbons.