MICROBIAL ANALYSIS OF SOIL RECEIVING CASSAVA WASTE WATER IN UMUDIKE, ABIA STATE

ABSTRACT

Microbial and Physicochemical quality of soil receiving cassava effluent in Umudike, Abia state was studied. Soils from five different contaminated areas and pristine soils were analysed using standard microbiological methods. The mean bacterial count of contaminated soil ranged from 3.77±4.51cfu/g to 5.77±6.11cfu/g while that of the pristine soil ranged from 6.10±4.36cfu/g to 8.77±4.51cfu/g. The mean fungal count of contaminated soil ranged from 6.67±1.16cfu/g to 11.00±1.00cfu/g while the pristine soils range from 11.00±1.00cfu/g to 17.33±1.16cfu/g. It showed that the pristine soils of both the fungal and bacterial count were high compared to the contaminated soil. Results of microbial flora shows six fungal genera in the soils which are Aspergillus species, Penicillium, Rhizopus species, Mucor, Yeast, Fusarium and nine bacterial genera in the soils which includes Klebsiella species, Staphylococcus species, Proteus, Bacillus species, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus species, Enterobacter, Micrococuus species and Pseudomonas. The percentage occurrence of bacterial isolates had the highest for Proteus and Bacillus (100%) and the lowest were Escherichia coli, Enterobacter and Streptococcus which had (20%). The highest percentage occurrence of fungal isolates was Aspergillus, Yeast and Penicillium (100%) and had the lowest for Fusarium and Mucor (20%). Physicochemical analyses were carried out: Cyanide content was 125.16±4.46, Organic calcium 1.14±0.01, Organic matter 2.53±0.12, pH 6.67±0.58, Sodium 3.13±0.46, Potassium 1.73±0.12, Phosphorus 55.7±5.32. The effect of cassava waste water on soil microorganisms was adverse. The waste water contains toxic hydrocyanic acid which inhibits the activity of microorganisms to a large extent. It was observed that there is a possibility of using this cassava waste water tolerant species for bioremediation of such contaminated soils.

Table of Contents

 TITLE PAGE                                                                                                             i

CERTIFICATION                                                                                                      ii

DEDICATION                                                                                                           iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT                                                                                          iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS                                                                                           v

LIST OF TABLES                                                                                                      ix

LIST OF FIGURES                                                                                                    x

ABSTRACT                                                                                                               xi

CHAPTER ONE

1.0       INTRODUCTION                                                                                         1

1.1      Aim of study                                                                                                   2

1.2      Objectives of the study                                                                                   2

CHAPTER TWO

2.0       LITERATURE REVIEW                                                                               3

2.1      Soil                                                                                                                   3

2.2       Soil Profile                                                                                                       3

2.3       The microbial community of the soil ecosystem                                             5                                                                   

2.4        Ecological significance of soil microrganisms                                                5                                                                                                 

2.5       Cassava                                                                                                             6

2.6       Cassava cultivation                                          7                                 

2.7      Cassava Fermentation                                   8        

2.8       Cassava waste water                                                                                        11        

2.9       Value adding of cassava waste products                                                         11                                                                                           

2.10     Microorganisms associated with cassava waste water                                     12

2.10.1   Bacteria                                                                                                            12

2.10.2    Fungi                                                                                                                13

CHAPTER THREE

3.0     Materials and Methods                                                                                       15

3.1     Study Area                                                                                                          15

3.2  Collection of samples                                                                                             15

3.3 Sample preparation                                                                                                  15                     

3.3  Isolation of bacterial isolates                                                                                  16

3.1.4 Characterization and identification of bacterial isolates                                       16

 3.4.1   Gram staining                                                                                                     16               

 3.4.2     Spore staining                                                                                                   17

 3.4.3   Motility test                                                                                                        17

 3.5      Biochemical tests                                                                                               17

 3.5.1   Catalase test                                                                                                       17

 3.5.2    Oxidase test                                                                                                      18                

 3.5.3     Methyl red test                                                                                                18

 3.5.4    Urease test                                                                                                        18

 3.5.5   Indole test                                                                                                          19

 3.5.6   Carbohydrate utilization test                                                                                19

 3.6       Isolation of fungal isolates                                                                                  20

 3.7      Characterization of fungal Isolates                                                                       20 

3.8       Determination of Physicochemical parameters                                                    20

CHAPTER FOUR

 4.0      Result                                                                                                                   21

CHAPTER FIVE

      5.0      Discussion                                                                                                             29   

      5.1     Conclusion                                                                                                              31

      5.2     Recommendation                                                                                                    31

REFERENCES

LIST OF TABLES

         Table       Title                                                                   Page

1.                Fungal counts of soil receiving cassava waste water and controls                   22

2.                Bacterial count of soil receiving cassava waste water and controls 23

3.                Biochemical properties and cultural characteristics of bacterial isolates     24

4.                Microscopic and Macroscopic identification of fungi isolate                      25

5.                Physico-chemical properties of soil receiving cassava waste water 28

                                                        LIST OF FIGURES

Figure     Title                                                                                  Page

1             Structure of a Soil profile                                                                                                5

2            Cassava processing flow chart                                                                                        11

3            Occurrence of Fungal isolates in Soil receiving cassava waste water and controls        26

4            Occurrence of Bacterial isolates in Soil receiving cassava waste water and controls     27         

CHAPTER ONE

1.1   INTRODUCTION

One of the greatest threats to sustainable development is environmental degradation. Environmental degradation which is the gradual lowering of environmental quality is due to human activity and natural causes. Natural causes such as soil erosion, leaching, volcanic activities, forest fires are common features and constitute a threat to the natural environment but these are usually mitigated by other natural processes. Human causes of environmental degradation include industrialization, urbanization, logging, agriculture, agricultural product processing etc. The extent of the threat from these activities is usually associated with the degree of the activity and absence of mitigating measures.

Effluent is a liquid or solid waste, especially chemicals produced by factories or from agricultural products or domestic waste. Effluent usually contains a wide variety of chemicals, debris and various microorganisms which are mostly emptied on soil or carried away through special underground pipes called sewers. Types of effluents include Industrial effluent, agricultural effluent, domestic effluent and storm effluent. One common human activity that may result to environmental degradation is cassava processing. Cassava processing activities are now extensively carried out in many rural and urban centers in Nigeria and elsewhere.

Cassava (Manihot esculenta) and its waste water have been reported to be toxic and poisonous (Adeyemo, 2005). The toxicity of cassava and its waste water is basically associated with its pH and cyanide content. Cassava waste water has been observed to be highly acidic, with pH as low as 2.6 (ESCAP 1992). Also (Nok and Ikediobi, 1990) reported the pH of fermenting cassava to be between 5.5 and 6.3.

Cassava waste water may therefore influence the acidity of soil when large amounts are added to the soil. It was reported that when soil pH is too acidic, plants cannot utilize N.P.K and other nutrients (Spector, 2001). In acidic soils, plants are also likely to take up toxic metals, which may lead to their eventual death. The increased utilization of processed cassava products has increased the environmental pollution associated with the disposal of effluents. The highly offensive odour emanating from fermentation effluent calls for regulation in the discharge of waste generated (Akani et al., 2006). In most cassava mills are mainly on small scale basis, owned and managed by individuals who have no basic knowledge of environmental protection. Though on small scale basis, there are many of them which together create enormous impact on the environment. Cassava also contains much pollutant such as disease causing pathogens e.g. Bacteria and fungi. Disposal of agricultural by-products such as cassava waste from processing activities is a concern in Nigeria. There is an appreciable high level of contamination arising from the discharge of effluents on agricultural soil hence the need for proper treatment before discharge and conversion of these cassava wastes into biosorbent that can remove toxic and valuable metals from the effluent.

1.2 AIMS AND OBJECTIVE OF STUDY

This work is aimed at assessing the impact of cassava effluents on soil with respect to its physiochemical parameters and microbiological characteristics in Umudike, Abia state, Nigeria. The objective is to isolate, characterize and identify microorganisms associated with soil cassava waste water.

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