ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF BACTERIA FROM SELECTED DUMPSOIL WITHIN MICHAEL OKPARA UNIVERSITYOF AGRICULTURE, UMUDIKE

ABSTRACT

The isolation and identification of bacteria from waste dump soil was conducted by analysing samples of soil at different dumpsites along roads leading to different colleges and places within Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike. Bacterial analyses of soil samples using serial dilutions of the soil samples was carried out. Biochemical test was carried out to identify the particular types of bacteria isolated. The mean total bacteria count ranged from 3.4 x 105 (CFU)/g to 9.7 x 105(CFU)/g of soil. The bacteria isolated were Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus sp., Proteus sp., Salmonella sp., Shigellasp., Pseudomonas sp. and Klebsiellasp. The mean pH values ranged from 7.08 to 8.70, the mean moisture contents ranged from 8.2% to 17.5%, while the mean temperature values ranged 280C to 300C. The study revealed 7 genera of bacteria, 5 genera of which portend fecal contamination. It was inferred from this study that bacterial load poses a great risk not only to waste scavengers but also to the society thereby constituting some public health hazards. Aerobic bacteria are usually more likely contaminants of soil than anaerobic bacteria, this is especially considering the fact that the environment is aerobic. The study recommended that regular safe quality assessment of dump soil is essential considering the possible socio-economic and health implications of contaminated dumpsites.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page                                                                                                                        i

Certification                                                                                                                    ii

Dedication                                                                                                                      iii

Acknowledgements                                                                                                        iv

Table of Contents                                                                                                           v

List of Tables                                                                                                                 viii

Abstract                                                                                                                          ix

CHAPTER ONE – INTRODUCTION                                                                   1

1.1.      Aim and Objectives                                                                                        5

CHAPTER TWO - LITERATURE REVIEW                                                       6

2.1. Soil Description and Classification                                                                     7

2.2.    Waste Management                                                                                          7

2.3.    Waste Handling Practices                                                                                 8

2.3.1. Curb-side Collection                                                                                        8

2.3.2. Incineration                                                                                                      8

2.3.3. Landfill                                                                                                             8

2.4.   Causes of Improper Waste Disposal                                                                  9

2.5.   Panacea to Waste Management                                                                         9

CHAPTER THREE - MATERIALS AND METHODS                                       11

3.1. Study Area                                                                                                           11

3.2. Sample Collection                                                                                               11

3.3. Isolation and Enumeration of Bacterial Isolates                                                 11

3.4. Characterization and Identification of Bacterial Isolates                                    12

3.4.1. Gram staining and Microscopy                                                                        12

3.5. Biochemical Test                                                                                                 13

3.5.1. Indole Test                                                                                                        13

3.5.2. Catalase Test                                                                                                     13

3.5.3. Citrate Utilization Test                                                                                     13

3.5.4. Coagulase Test                                                                                                 14

3.5.5. Oxidase Test                                                                                                     14

3.6.    Physicochemical Analysis                                                                                14

3.6.1. Determination of pH                                                                                         14

3.6.2. Additional Tests                                                                                               15

CHAPTER FOUR - RESULTS                                                                               16

CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

5.1. Discussion                                                                                                            20

5.2. Conclusion                                                                                                                 21

5.3. Recommendation                                                                                                21

REFERENCES                                                                                                         23

LIST OF TABLES

Table      Title                                                                    Page

1           Mean of bacteria count of different dump soil samples                                     17

2          Biochemical properties and cultural characteristics of bacterial isolates            18

3          Physicochemical characteristics of the dump soil samples                                 19

CHAPTER ONE

            1.0           INTRODUCTION

Dumpsites are places were wastes are dumped. Most waste are dumped openly on the ground floor. The ground floor is made up mostly of soil.

The term soil refers to the outer loose material of the earth crust. It may be regarded as a three phase’s system composes of solids, liquids and gases, disposed to form a heterogeneous matrix (Cilinskins et al., 2013).  On the whole the soil is composed of five major components, those include; Mineral matter, water, organic matter, Air and living organisms. The various component of the soil environment constantly changed and the quality of these constituents are not the same in all soil but vary with locality (Poole and Penny, 2011). Living portion of the soil body includes small animals and microorganisms but it is generally considered thatmicroorganisms plays the most important role in the release of nutrient and carbondioxide for plant growth. The bacteria are the most abundant group usually more numerous than the four combined. Soil bacteria can be rod (bacilli), Cocci (Spherical) and Spirilla (Spirals) of these, bacillus are more numerous than the others. They are one of the major groups of soil bacteria population and are very widely distributed (Brooks et al., 2014). The number and type of bacteria present in a particular soil would be greatly influenced by geographical location such as; soil temperature, soil type, soil pH, organic matter content, cultivation, aeration and moisture content (Denamur and Matic, 2014).

Wastes are revealed to be one source of pathogens to soil because most dumpsites do not have leachate collection system. About 5.3 million people die each year from waste related diseases. Waste is any substance for which no direct use is envisaged but which is transported for reprocessing, dumping and incineration. Industrialization, social development and population pressure are generating a lot of solid waste products, making pollution a serious health challenge. (Elizabeth et al., 2013).Waste are generated from hospital, residential, commercial, company, market, industry, etc and the waste are dumped in approved and non-approved site. During waste collection and disposal most waste workers in developing countries hardly use protective devices. This unproductive condition may take them vulnerable to serious health problems (Schmidt, 2006). Bacteria pathogens may develop in wastes undergoing decomposition in soils that suffer from environmental pollution as a result of indiscriminate disposal of pollutants. These bacterial pathogens, when increased in population, pose great risk to human health (Onweremaduet al., 2011). Soil transmitted pathogens play an important role to the emergence of community acquired infections, contributing to the burden of communicable diseases morbidity and mortality. The bacterial pathogens in the soil and wastes are not considered as public health concern (Santamaria and Toranzes, 2010). Little information is available on the types of microorganisms associated with and isolated in waste dumpsite soil consequently; comprehensive assessments on pathogenic organisms must be established to build local knowledge about public health issues and trends in dumpsites.

Soil contains varieties of microorganisms including bacteria that can be established in any natural environment. Bacteria are the most important and abundant microorganism which is present in surrounding environment. These are very small, unicellular, primitive and non chlorophyll containing microorganism. Dilution method is one of the most important method to isolate the soil bacterium which allows the list of living cells in the soil (Benson, 2012). An enzymatic activity of one bacterium differs from another bacterium. Biochemical test is used to differentiate among the other bacteria (Harley and Prescott, 2010).

An important factor influencing the productivity of our planet’s various ecosystems is the nature of their soil. Soils are vital for the existence of many forms of life that have evolved on our planet. For example, soils provide vascular plants with a medium for growth and supply these organisms with most of their nutritional requirements. Soil itself is very complex. It would be very wrong to think of soils as just a collection of fine mineral particles. Soil also contains air, water dead organic matter, and various types of living organisms (Euzeby, 2011). The formation of a soil is influenced by organism, climate, topography, parent material, and time. A mass of mineral particles alone do not constitute a true soil. True soils are influenced, modified, and supplemented by living organisms. Plants and animals aid in the development of a soil through the addition of organic matter. Fungi and bacteria decompose this organic matter into a semi-soluble chemical substance known as humus. When water moves downward into the soil, it causes both mechanical and chemical translocations of material. The complete chemical removal of substances from the soil profile is known as leaching (Khupe, 2014). Leached substances often end up in the ground water zone and then travel by groundwater flow into water bodies like rivers, lakes and oceans. Eluviations refers to the movement of fine mineral particles (like clay) or dissolved substances out of an upper layer in a soil profile. When plants die, they return the nutrients they initially absorbed from the soil, back to the soil, and enrich the soil. In this way soil plays a very important role in the recycling of nutrients (Sabry, 2015). Soil contain different types of microorganisms, including Bacteria. Soil environment differ from one location to another and from season to season. Therefore factor such as moisture, pH, temperature, organic and inorganic content and oxygen content affect the microbial flora of soil sample.

Waste also refers to substances or objects which are disposed off or are intended to be disposed off or are required to be disposed off by the provisions of national law(Ballows and Herman, 2010). The daily activities of humans give rise to a large variety of wastes and when these waste materials are disposed off, microorganisms of different types such as bacteria, fungi colonize the waste and begin to degrade them (Wachukwuet al., 2010). As a result, they break down the unprocessed or organic components of waste into inorganic forms, which can readily serve as sources of nutrients for a variety of other organisms. Although other methods of waste disposal such as engineered landfill and compositing are available, open dumping continues to be the prevalent method available in Nigeria, particularly in major cities like Umuahia and Aba, even though these are strongly discouraged in the National sanitation policy (Aneja, 2013). The improper disposal of these waste constitute serious health problems such as transmission of infectious diseases to humans and animals living within the vicinity (Lorentz et al., 2000), as they pollute the air, soil land fresh water bodies. Again, in developing countries, the incinerators are not properly sited and lack proper emission control facilities which are important in limiting exposure of humans to air pollution produced as a result of incineration of solid waste. The most serious threat with landfills is that they are associated with leachates generated within the waste which subsequently infiltrate into unconfined aquifers below or adjacent to disposal sites.

During the activities of scavengers (individuals who make a living by foraging the waste for survival), they are exposed to various infectious agents (Cooket al., 2013) as well as to various toxic substances which may cause sickness. They are also exposed to potentially pathogenic bio-aerosols that may lead to the spread of various diseases. Research conducted by Donlan and Costerton, (2012) revealed that exposures to bio-aerosols in both the occupational and residential indoor environment could have adverse effects with major public health impact, including contagious infectious diseases, acute toxic effects, allergies and cancer. Another effect is that these scavengers are exposed to inhalation of infected dust, skin contact with infected materials, bites from disease transmitting insects and animals, and occasionally accidental burns or injuries from various kinds of accident. It is therefore imperative that the health concerns associated with waste dumps are addressed bringing to bare the microbial load burden on the dumps (Kassenga and Mbuligwe, 2010).    

1.2       AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THIS STUDY

1.         To know the different types of bacteria associated with a waste dumpsite.

2.         To determine the various sources of pathogens to soil.

3.         To determine the different methods of waste disposal.

Buyers has the right to create dispute within seven (7) days of purchase for 100% refund request when you experience issue with the file received. 

Dispute can only be created when you receive a corrupt file, a wrong file or irregularities in the table of contents and content of the file you received. 

ProjectShelve.com shall either provide the appropriate file within 48hrs or send refund excluding your bank transaction charges. Term and Conditions are applied.

Buyers are expected to confirm that the material you are paying for is available on our website ProjectShelve.com and you have selected the right material, you have also gone through the preliminary pages and it interests you before payment. DO NOT MAKE BANK PAYMENT IF YOUR TOPIC IS NOT ON THE WEBSITE.

In case of payment for a material not available on ProjectShelve.com, the management of ProjectShelve.com has the right to keep your money until you send a topic that is available on our website within 48 hours.

You cannot change topic after receiving material of the topic you ordered and paid for.