Microorganisms Associated With Waste Dumpsite In Aba, Abia State Nigeria

ABSTRACT

This study was to determining the microorganisms associated with refuse dump sites in Aba Metropolis, Abia State. A total of four (4) decomposing wastes and soil samples each were collected from various locations under study. Theses samples were cultured on Nutrient Agar Plate and Basic Czapek-dox Agar using spread plate technique. A total of six (6) bacterial and three (3) fungal species were obtained comprising of Rhizopus stolonifer, Aspergillus niger, Rhodotorula specie, Bacillus species, Micrococcus species, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella species, and Serratia species. From this study, the total viable microbial counts from the waste dumpsite ranged from 3.3 × 105 cfu/g to 9.9 × 105cfu/g. Total Heterotrophic Plate Count (THPC) ranged from 6.2 × 105 cfu/g to 8.4 × 105 cfu/g, Total Coliform Plate Count (TCPC) ranged from 3.3 × 105 cfu/g to 9.9 × 105cfu/g, Total Fungal Plate Count ranged from 3.9 × 105 cfu/g to 4.5 × 105 cfu/g, while the total viable microbial counts of the decomposing waste ranged from 3.5 × 105cfu/g to 7.5 × 105cfu/g. Total Heterotrophic Plate Counts (THPC) ranged from 5.0 × 105 cfu/g to 7.1 × 105 cfu/g. Total Coliform Plate Counts (TCPC) ranged from 3.5 × 105 cfu/g to 8.8 × 105cfu/g, Total Fungal Plate Counts (TFPC) ranged from 3.7 × 105 cfu/g to 4.6 × 105 cfu/g. Amongst the various decomposing wastes samples investigated, Dw4 had the highest microbial at 8.8 × 105, while the least was recorded for Dw3 at 3.1 × 106 cfu/g. From the findings in this study, it was observed that Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were the most frequently occurring isolates from the waste dumpsites with highest percentage occurrence of (25%) each. The degree of acidity (pH) recorded for all the dumpsites ranged from 0.5 to 7.8. Statistical analysis showed that there were significant differences in the meant counts from both the decomposing waste and waste from dumpsite at p < 0.05.  

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page ﾿   ﾿ i

Certification ﾿ iii

Dedication ﾿ iv

Acknowledgement ﾿ v

Table of Contents ﾿ vi

List of Tables ﾿ vii

Abstract ﾿ ix

CHAPTER ONE

1.1 ﾿ Introduction ﾿ 1

1.2 ﾿ Waste Dump Sites ﾿ 1

1.3 ﾿ What Is Refuse Dump? ﾿ 3

1.4 ﾿ Composition of Waste Dump Sites ﾿ 6

1.5 ﾿ Disadvantages of Waste Dump Sites ﾿ 7

1.6 ﾿ Benefit of Waste Dump Sites ﾿ 8

1.7 ﾿ Aim and Objectives ﾿ 8

1.7.1 ﾿ Objectives ﾿ 9

CHAPTER TWO

2.1 ﾿ What Are Waste? ﾿ 10

2.2 ﾿ Microorganisms Found in Waste Dump Sites ﾿ 11

2.3 ﾿ Waste Dump Sites as an Agent of Pollution ﾿ 11

2.4 ﾿ Activities carried out at Waste Dump Sites ﾿ 12

2.4.1 ﾿ Composting ﾿ 12

2.4.2 ﾿ Incineration ﾿ 13

2.4.3 ﾿ Land filling ﾿ 14

2.4.4 ﾿ Sorting and Scavenging ﾿ 15

2.5 ﾿ Problems Associated With Waste Dump Sites ﾿ 15

2.5.1 ﾿ Poor Environmental Education and Awareness ﾿ 16

2.5.2. ﾿ Lack of Suitable Technologies ﾿ 16

2.5.3. ﾿ Lack of Incentives to Recycling Initiatives ﾿ 16

2.5.4. ﾿ Poor Funding of Environmental Agencies ﾿ 17

2.6 ﾿ Standard /Ways of Disposing Waste as Recommended by the Government ﾿ 17

2.6.1 ﾿ Source Reduction ﾿ 17

2.6.2 ﾿ Recycling ﾿ 17

2.6.3 ﾿ Energy Recovery ﾿ 18

2.6.4 ﾿ Preventing or reducing waste generation ﾿ 18

2.7 ﾿ Regulation on Environmental Dumping of Waste ﾿ 18

2.7.1 ﾿ Adequate Environmental Education ﾿ 18

2.7.2 ﾿ Use of Suitable Technologies ﾿ 19

2.7.3 ﾿ Provision of Incentives to Recycling Initiatives ﾿ 19

2.7.4 ﾿ Proper Funding of Environmental Agencies ﾿ 19

2.8 ﾿ Major Waste Dumpsites in Abia ﾿ 19

CHAPTER THREE

3.1 ﾿ Materials and Methods ﾿ 20

3.2 ﾿ Study Area ﾿ 20

3.3 ﾿ Sample Collection ﾿ 20

3.4 ﾿ Sterilization of Materials ﾿ 21

3.5 ﾿ Preparation of Media ﾿ 21

3.6 ﾿ Physico-Chemical Analyses ﾿ 21

3.6.1 ﾿ Determination of pH ﾿ 21

3.6.2 ﾿ Determination of Temperature ﾿ 22

3.6.3 ﾿ Determination of Carbon Content ﾿ 22

3.6.4 ﾿ Inoculation of Sample ﾿ 22

3.6.5 ﾿ Isolation of Pure Culture ﾿ 22

3.7 ﾿ Identification of Bacteria Isolates ﾿ 23

3.7.1 ﾿ Motility ﾿ 23

3.7.2 ﾿ Morphological Identification ﾿ 23

3.7.3 ﾿ Gram Staining Procedure ﾿ 23

3.8 ﾿ Biochemical Tests ﾿ 24

3.8.1 ﾿ Catalase Test ﾿ 24

3.8.2 ﾿ Lactose and Mannitol Fermentation Test ﾿ 24

3.8.3 ﾿ Voges-proskauer Test ﾿ 24

3.8.4 ﾿ Urease Test ﾿ 24

3.8.5 ﾿ Indole Test ﾿ 24

3.8.6 ﾿ Citrate Utilization Test ﾿ 25

3.9 ﾿ Identification of Fungal Isolates ﾿ 25

3.9.1 ﾿ Wet Preparation ﾿ 25

3.9.2 ﾿ Colonial Morphology    ﾿ 25

CHAPTER FOUR

4.1 ﾿ Result ﾿ 26

CHAPTER FIVE

5.1 ﾿ Discussion, Conclusion and Recommendation ﾿ 34

5.2 ﾿ Discussion ﾿ 34

5.3 ﾿ Conclusion ﾿ 35

5.4 ﾿ Recommendation ﾿ 36

﾿ Reference 

﾿ Appendix I

﾿ Appendix II