Impact of petroleum refinery on aquatic ecosystem of Skikda Bay (Algeria): Diversity and abundance of viable bacterial strains. (March 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Belahmadi, Mohamed Seddik Oussama; Charchar, Nabil; Abdessemed, Ala; Gherib, Abdelfettah
• Is Part Of: Marine pollution bulletin. Volume 188(2023)
• Publication Date: 2023-03
• Subjects: Bacterial diversity -- Coastal pollution -- Petroleum hydrocarbons -- Skikda bay; Marine pollution -- Periodicals; Marine Biology -- Periodicals; Water Pollution -- Periodicals; Mer -- Pollution -- Périodiques; Publications périodiques; Pollution des mers; Lutte antipollution; Electronic journals; 363.7394
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114704
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0025-326X

Abstract

Abstract: This paper reports a study on the impact of petroleum refinery effluents on the bacterial load and diversity of the aquatic ecosystem in Skikda Bay (Algeria). The results showed a large spatiotemporal variation in the isolated bacterial species. This difference between stations and seasons could be attributed to environmental factors and to the pollution rate at the different sampling sites. Statistical analysis results showed that physicochemical parameters such as pH, electrical conductivity and salinity have a very significant effect on the microbial load ( p < 0.001), while hydrocarbon pollution has a significant effect on the diversity of bacterial species ( p < 0.05). In total 75 bacteria were isolated from six sampling sites during the four seasons. A significant spatiotemporal richness and diversity was observed in water samples. A total of 42 strains belonging to 18 bacterial genera were identified. Most of these genera belong to the class of Proteobacteria. Highlights: Hydrocarbon pollution has a significant effect on the diversity of bacterial strains. There is a significant spatiotemporal richness and diversity between sampling sites. Physicochemical parameters have a very significant effect on the microbial load. The 42 isolated bacterial strains belong to the 18 different bacterial genera. Most of the isolated genera belong to the class of Proteobacteria.