This study attempted to determine the physico-chemical properties and microbial isolates of estuary Soils in Cross River State. Four soil samples were collected from the estuaries area (Ikang, Atimbo Bridge, Unical Creek) of southern part of Cross River State as the study area. A composite sample was collected from each of the topsoil surface (0-20cm) using soil Auger. Some physico-chemical properties viz., particle size, pH, organic carbon, N, P, Ca, Mg, K, Na, H, Al, ECEC, BS and microbial flora population were determined using standard physico-chemical and biological methods. Results showed that there was a high sand content in Ikang and Atimbo than Unical Creek. Results also showed that most of the chemical properties were low to medium but Mg contents were high in all the samples. The highest microbial population of bacteria and fungi was 79 x 106 and 22 x 103 respectively. The bacteria microbes identified were Cyanobacterium spp, Nocardia spp and Nostoc spumigerna, while that of fungi were penicillium spp, Aspergillus flavus, fusarium spp and Rhizopus spp. Results depicted that the microbial populations in estuary of Cross River State were not very high.

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The post The Physico-chemical Properties and Microbial Isolates of Cross River State Estuary Soils
Bello O. S. & Ukut E.G (2015). The Physico-chemical Properties and Microbial Isolates of Cross River State Estuary Soils. Mayfair Journal of Soil Science 1(1), 15-27 first appeared on Mayfair Journals.

Soil and environmental protection and sustainability are important aspects of natural resource management that have been neglected for too long. The objective of this study was to determine the damages caused by oil spill to the soil and environment. Soils samples were collected from the surroundings of five petroleum marketing companies – Mobil, Total, Conoil, NNPC and Oando petrol stations in Calabar, Cross River State. The samples were collected from the oil spill affected soils and non-oil affected soils to serve as control. Composite soil samples were collected from the top soil surface (0-15cm) using soil auger. Some physico-chemical properties that reflect soil nutrients content and fertility status (Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, C, N, P, pH, ECEC, particle size, electrical conductivity, and hydrocarbon content) and microbial flora populations were determined using standard physico-chemical and biological methods. Results from the oil spill affected and non-oil spill affected soils were compared. There was a significant decrease in Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, K⁺, ECEC, silt fraction, clay fraction in oil affected soils as well as significant increase in the sand fraction content, Na⁺ content, electrical conductivity, hydrocarbon content of the oil-spill affected soils when compared with the non-oil spill affected soils. The acidic nature of the soils could not be attributed entirely to the oil-spilled since the control sample soils were equally acidic. The results of microbial flora in areas with and without oil spill shows little effect on the microbial populations of the soils studied. The average microbial population of the soils with oil-spill was 2.78 x 10⁶ cfu/g, while that without oil-spill was 3.6 x 10⁶cfu/g. for bacteria count. The fungi populations of oil affected soils was 3.4 x 10⁴cfu/g while the non-oil affected soils was 3.0 x 10⁴cfu/g. The bacteria and fungi microbes identified from oil affected soils were Ganobacterium, Micrococcus luteus, Pseudomonas maltophilia and Aspergilus flavin, Rhizopus spp, Mucor spp, Candida spp while that of non-oil affected soils were Nocardia, Bacillus substillis, Pseudomonas putidae and Candida spp, Mucor spp and Aspergillus spp. The significant variation of the results of physico-chemical and microbiological population observed were indicative of the effect of oil spillage on the soils. The effects of oil spillage on the environment around the petrol stations were also observed by the scanty and burnt nature of the vegetation due to contact with petroleum product.

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The post The Effects of Oil Spillage on the Properties of Soil and Environment around the Marketing Outlets of some Petroleum Marketing Companies in Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria
Bello O. S. & Anobeme S. A. (2015). The Effects of Oil Spillage on the Properties of Soil and Environment around the Marketing Outlets of some Petroleum Marketing Companies in Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria. Mayfair Journal of Soil Science 1(1), 1-14 first appeared on Mayfair Journals.