The microbiological, parasitological and physicochemical studies of waste refuse dumpsites in University of Benin (Ugbowo Campus), Benin City, Nigeria

Ekhaise, Frederick Osaro and Oni, Olawale Ignatius The microbiological, parasitological and physicochemical studies of waste refuse dumpsites in University of Benin (Ugbowo Campus), Benin City, Nigeria. Italian Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene.

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Abstract

This paper examined the effect of the refuse waste on the microbiological, parasitological and physicochemical properties on the immediate University of Benin Community. The microbiological, parasitological and physicochemical assessments were studied using the basic microbiological and parasitological techniques. The total heterotrophic bacterial counts ranged from 1.1 × 105 ±0.35 cfu/g to 5.4 × 105 ± 0.56 cfu/g and the total fungal counts ranged from 1.5 × 104 ± 0.42 cfu/g to 1.9 × 105 ± 0.14 cfu/g of the refuse dumpsites between August, 2011 and January, 2012. The bacterial counts were shown to be highest in Faculty of Agricultural Science refuse dumpsites in the month of September, 2011. The microbial isolates isolated and characterized includes nine bacterial genera and seven fungal genera, they include Bacillus, Enterobacter, Staphylococcus, Proteus mirabilis, Micrococcus, Pseudomonas, Serratia, Arthrobacter, Citrobacter and Aspergillus, Penicillium, Mucor, Rhizopus, Fusarium, Cladiosporium, Trichoderma respectively. The total mean value of the frequently isolated bacterial isolates were Micrococcus sp 400 (21.8%) and Bacillus sp 369 (20.1%) respectively. The most frequently isolated fungal isolates from the refuse dumpsites were Aspergillus spp and Penicillium spp with the mean values of 146 (23.4%) and 167 (26.8%) respectively. This study also showed the degree of dumpsites contamination with pathogenic parasites in the community. A total number of fourteen parasites were isolated and identified, they include Ascaris lumbricoides (4.1%), Taenia sp (33.8%), Ancyclostoma sp (5.0%), Tapeworm (25.7%), Taenia saginata (10.6%), Hymenolepsis sp (4.8%), Hymenolepsis diminuta (2.0%), Fasciola hepatica (6.2%), Capillaria hepatica (1.5%), Capillaria sp (3.2%), Aspiculus sp (0.5%), Ornithobiharzia sp (0.8%), Trichostrongylus (1.1%) and Syphacia obvelata (0.7%). The result of the physiochemical parameters showed the pH mean value of the pH range of the refuse dumpsites in the various Faculties for six months of sampling ranged between 5.21 ± 0.39 and 5.57 ± 0.24 with the highest pH was obtained in the Faculty of Management Sciences and the least pH mean value was obtained in the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences. The results of the metal contents were revealed to be within the permissible limit. Statistical analyses of the total heterotrophic bacterial counts and fungal counts revealed that there was significant difference (P>0.05) for the counts obtained from the refuse dumpsites between August, 2011 and January, 2012. Thus, it is recommended that the proper waste management system are essential and the practice of wastes management practices like waste re-use and recycling should be encouraged.

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