Detection of antibiotic-producing bacteria from soil samples in parts of Wudil local government area Kano State, Nigeria

The emergence of new diseases and multiple-antibiotic resistance pathogens that resist the action of clinically used antibiotics have increased the needs of discovering new antibiotics. However, soil served as the most important target for most researchers in their attempt of discovering new antibiotics that have pharmaceutical values. The aim of this study was to detect the antibiotic-producing bacteria from soil samples in parts of Wudil local government of Kano state using standard procedure. The color ranged from light brown to dark brown. The texture ranged from clay loam, clay and loam. Sample C was found to have the highest mean pH and electrical conductivity of 7.46 and 108.90μs/cm, respectively, while sample B had the least mean values of 6.95 and 73.53μs/cm, respectively. The highest mean bulk devsity and particle density was sample B with 1.60g/cm3 and 1.87g/cm3, respectively, while sample C had the least mean values of 1.48g/cm3 and 1.71g/cm3, respectively. Sample C was found to have the highest mean moisture content and porosity with 17.93% and 15.57%, respectively, while sample A had the least mean values with 10.61% and 10.74%, respectively. Four bacterial spp. were identified based on morphological description, gram’s reaction and biochemical tests, and were identified as Bacillus spp., Micrococcus spp., Pseudosomonas spp. and Proteus spp. Sample C was found to have the highest mean total bacterial viable plate count of 19.9×105cfu/g, while sample B had the least mean value of 4.1×105cfu/g. Bacillus spp. was found to have the highest percentage occurrence with 21(47%), while Proteus spp. had the least value with 4(9%). E. coli had the highest and least susceptibility to metabolites produced by Bacillus spp. and Pseudosomonas spp. with inhibition zones of (17 and 0mm) respectively. While the control (Erythromycin 250mg/ml) produced the inhibition zones of (27 and 21mm) against E. coli and S. aureus respectively. It was concluded that soil samples in Lajawa, Kausani, Wudil Sabon gari and Wudil Tsohon gari of Wudil local government contained the bacteria with potentiality of producing antimicrobial substance and recommended the use of molecular techniques for further characterization

Preparation and Characterization of Magnetite Talc (Fe3_{3}O4_{4}@Talc) Nanocomposite as an Effective Adsorbent for Cr(VI) and Alizarin Red S Dye

In this work, the adsorption of Cr(VI) ions and the organic dye Alizarin Red S (ARS) was investigated using magnetite talc (Fe$_{3}$O$_{4}$@Talc) nanocomposite. Different characterization techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were used to demonstrate the physical and chemical properties of the fabricated Fe$_{3}$O$_{4}$@Talc nanocomposite. In addition, the adsorption isothermic, kinetic, and thermodynamic properties were illustrated. The results demonstrate that the investigated adsorption processes obeyed the Langmuir isotherm model for Cr(VI) and the Freundlich isotherm model for ARS dye, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 13.5 and 11.76 mg·g$^{-1}$, respectively, controlled by pseudo second-order kinetics. Regeneration and reusability studies demonstrated that the prepared Fe$_{3}$O$_{4}$@Talc nanocomposite is a promising and stable adsorbent with considerable reusability potential