Bacterial and Fungal Diversity and Bioemulsification Potential of Isolates from Soil adhering to Rhizophere of Carex nemurensis and Eleusine indica Root Systems found in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract

Microbial biosurfactants provide environmentally friendly alternatives to synthetic surfactants used in industrial and environmental remediation processes. The objective of this paper is to investigate the Bacterial and fungal diversity and bioemulsification potential of isolates of Soil adhering to the Rhizophere of Carex nemurensis and Eleusine indica root systems found in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria using standard microbiological methods. Bacterial isolates identified included Serratia sp., Arthrobacter sp., Citrobacter sp., and Bacillus sp., whereas fungal isolates comprised Penicillium sp. and Fusarium sp. Emulsification capacity was assessed using the emulsification index after 24 h (E24). Most bacterial isolates showed no emulsification activity (0%), with only Serratia sp. demonstrating weak activity (4.76%). In contrast, fungal isolates exhibited higher performance with E24 values ranging from 20–28%, and two isolates formed stable emulsions after 24 h. The results indicate that fungi from rhizosphere soils represent promising sources of natural bioemulsifiers with potential applications in bioremediation and green technologies. Further studies should optimize production and characterize the active compounds responsible for emulsification.