This study investigated the ability of Bacillus species isolated from soil and
water samples to degrade some petroleum products and pesticides as well as its
ability antimicrobial potency against selected pathogens. Bacillus species were isolated from soil collected from dumping
site and water samples from Ado-Ekiti,
Nigeria on
Luria Bertani agar. The biodegradative and antimicrobial activities of the
isolates were conducted using minimal nutrient medium and agar well diffusion
methods respectively. Commercial antibiotics were used as positive control. All
the Bacillus isolates showed varied
degree of degradation on petroleum products and pesticides. Only B. polymyxa showed antimicrobial
activity against Staphylococcus aureus
with zone of inhibition of 18.00mm. The
commercial antibiotics were most inhibitory to most of the test pathogens in
varying degrees.The isolates can be used in mitigating pollution caused by oil
spillage and overuse or abusive use of herbicides and fungicides. However,
these isolates are not good candidate as antibacterial agents for the selected
test pathogens.