Bacteriological Analysis Of Air Within Undergraduate Microbiology Laboratory, College Of Natural Sciences, Michael Okpara University Of Agriculture, Umudike:- Ibekwe, Susan C.

ABSTRACT i x J Bacteriological analysis of Air within Undergraduate Microbiology Laboratory, College of Natural Sciences, Michael Okpara University ofAgriculture, Umudike was studied. This research was carried out in the undergraduate microbiology laboratory of College of Natural Sciences, MOUAU. A grand total of54 samples were collected using settle plate method. All materials used for this analysis was sterilized using an autoclave. Glass wares were washed with detergent before autoclaving. The work bench was sterilized with cotton wool dipped in 70% alcohol. Concentration of airborne bacteria was done to quantify the bacterial isolates, using Omeliansky’s formula, (N=5a X 104-^~bt) The study isolated 74 bacterial organisms comprising four (4) different genera, namely; Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus spp, Escherichia coli and Micrococcus spp. These isolates are commonly found bio aerosols and pathogens in the air. Bacillus spp (48.6%) was the most isolated followed by Staphylococcus aureus (24.32%), Micrococcus spp (16.21%) and Escherichia coli (10.81%). Higher bacterial loads were observed in the afternoon at the prime of daily laboratory activities. The aim of this research is to isolate, identify and characterize microorganisms contaminating undergraduate microbiology laboratory in College of Natural Sciences, Michael Okpara University ofAgriculture, Umudike.