The effects of oil pollution on the quantity of the bacteria in the soil of Abu Ali Island in the Arabian Gulf, Saudi Arabia, and isolation of efficient bacterial isolates from polluted soil in the Arabian Gulf

This study aimed at finding the effect of oil pollution on the quantity of the heterotrophic aerobic bacteria in the oil-polluted soil and non-polluted soil. Bacterial existence was re-estimated after one year of pollution. The results of this study revealed oil pollution in the coastal environment to have a quantitative effect on the teterotrophic aerobic bacteria group: bacterial counts in oil - polluted soil was noticeably lower than in the non-polluted soil. Bacterial counts varied according to the locations from which samples were taken. Re-estimation of bactrial counts varied from 75.7%, in the samples which were less affected by the crude oil, to 91.8% in the samples which were most affected by the crude oil. It is also revealed that the reduction in the total count of the heterotrophic aerabic bacteria, which occurs in the oil-polluted soil, is accompanied by a noticeably higher count of oil degrading bacteria which varied according to location. One year after the occurence of the pollution, the total counts of heteratrophic aerabic bacteria and the oil-degrading bacteria in all samples exhibited varying degrees of increase. In conclusion, oil pollution was indicated to be the primary factor responsible for the varying bacteria contents of these samples; Ten of the most efficient oil-degrading bacterial isolates were isolated from polluted water. The isolates were found to belong to the following genera : a. 3 isolates of Sporosarcina ureae b. 3 Bacillus cereus c. 2 B. subtilis d. 1 B. megaterium 1 mixed culture of Sporosarcina Ureae and Bacillus Megaterium