Assessment of Bacillus pumilus from Petrochemical Wastes from Agbabu and Production of Bioelectricity Using Microbial Fuel Cells

Abstract

Petrochemical wastes represent a significant environmental hazard due to their toxic and persistent nature, posing severe risks to ecosystems and human health. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) offer an eco-friendly solution for bioelectricity generation by utilising microbial metabolic processes. This study evaluates the potential of Bacillus pumilus  for bioelectricity production using polluted soil and water samples from Agbabu, Nigeria—a region impacted by deposits of petrochemical wastes. Bacteria were isolated from the samples and characterised through cultural and molecular techniques, while gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) was employed to detect petrochemical pollutants. The physicochemical properties of the soil and water were analysed using standard methods. The microbial load of the samples was determined to be 2.3 × 10^5 CFU/g in soil and 1.1 × 10^5 CFU/ml in water, with B. pumilus identified as the dominant organism. MFCs constructed and inoculated with B. pumilus achieved peak performance on the sixth day with water samples, generating a voltage of 1.375 V and a current of 0.242 A, reflecting efficient microbial activity and electron transfer. A voltage of 0.820 V and a current of 0.080 A were generated on the same day for the soil sample. These findings demonstrate the potential of B. pumilus as a sustainable bioelectricity producer and underscore its relevance in renewable energy applications, particularly in regions impacted by petrochemical pollution.