Microbial and physico-chemical analyses of five major dump sites and nearby water sources

Abstract

An investigation was carried out on microbial and physico-chemical analysis of soil (heap sites) near water sources in Oka river water, Ikare and Iwaro stream water, Akungba and Ayegunle well water in Akoko area of Ondo state, Nigeria. The isolated and identified bacteria from the samples include Escherichia coli, Bacillus sp, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus sp,  Klebsiella sp, Micrococcus sp, and Enterobacter sp, while fungi include Rhizopus species, Aspergillus niger, Rhizopus oryzae, Candida albicans, Candida sp, Aspergillus fumigatus and Gonytrichum macrocladum. The physico-chemical analysis showed that Ikare soil samples had the highest pH (6.75) and highest potassium (175 ppm). Samples from Oka-Akoko had the highest organic matter (2.56%) and total nitrogen (0.30 ppm), while the highest phosphorus (6.45 ppm) was obtained from Akungba. The lowest pH (5.25) and total nitrogen (0.16 ppm) were observed from Akungba’s soil samples. The water samples from Oka-Akoko had the highest pH (7.66) and dissolved oxygen (45 ppm), while Iwaro samples had total hardness (149 ppm) and nitrate (0.05 ppm). Water samples from Ikare were observed to have the highest temperature (28.3 ⁰C), while the lowest pH (7.09) and total hardness of (48.21 ppm) was observed in Akungba’s samples and lowest nitrate (0.01 ppm) and temperature (26 ⁰C) from Oka-Akoko. All the water samples were positive for Escherichia coli which indicate fecal pollution of water, thereby suggesting that water from these sources were not suitable for drinking, as well as for domestic purposes. This study is important for broader understanding of soil quality and appropriate management system that will maximize plant productivity, as well as water quality which is essential to the health of the communities.

Key words: Akoko river, stream, well, dump sites, pollution