Microbial Diversity in the Sawmill Environment: Implications on the Health of Sawmill Workers and Merchants, Nigeria

There is an increasingly high suspicion of occupational health diseases amongst workers in sawmill factories. Hence this study aimed to determine the microbial diversity in some sawmill factories in Okada, Edo State, Nigeria to evaluate potential implications of the factory’s processing area on the health of the workers and wood merchants. Bacteria and fungi count in the bioaerosols within the processing area of each factory was performed with the passive air sampling technique. While in the sawdust samples, microbial counts were carried out with the pour plate technique. Identification of the microbes was performed with macroscopic and microscopic examinations as well as standard phenotypic tests. Mean total viable count (TVC) and total fungi count (TFC) of bioaerosols in the air within the processing area of the sawmill factories were found to be greater than 4162.99 CFU/m3 while mean total coliform count (TCC) was reported as 756.28 CFU/m3. Fisher (F) one-way ANOVA test of the TVC and TCC dataset of bioaerosols from the four sawmill factories indicated no significant difference (p = 0.77 and 0.83 for TVC and TFC respectively) in the mean TVC and TFC of the bioaerosols. Bacterial (Micrococcus, Staphylococcus, Bacillus, Klebsiella and Serratia) and fungal (Saccharomyces, Aspergillus, Cladosporium and Penicillium) species were isolated from the bioaerosols and sawdust samples. Results of this study indicated that workers in the sawmill factories and other wood merchants who visit sawmill processing area are most likely exposed to airborne contaminants that may cause occupational diseases such as ophthalmic irritations and dermatitis. Hence it is recommended that sawmill workers and other visitors wear personal protective gadgets in the processing area of the sawmill factories

Microbiological Contamination Associated with the Proximity of A Refuse Dumpsite to a River Situated in Okada, Edo State, Nigeria

This study was performed to evaluate the potential contamination of the Okponha river situated near a dumpsite in Okada, Edo State, Nigeria. Water samples were collected and analyzed for bacteriological and parasitological quality using standard procedures. Isolation and enumeration of bacterial colonies were performed by pour plate technique and the isolated bacteria were identified by standard phenotypic tests. Helminths and protozoa were screened by the direct smear technique. The values of HPC (3.79 ± 0.12 log10 CFU/ml) and TCC (2.20 ± 0.14 log10 CFU/ml) obtained from the river water samples exceeded WHO and NAFDAC recommended limits (≤ 2 log10 CFU/ml and ≤ 1 log10 CFU/ml for HPC and TCC respectively). Bacillus spp., Enterobacter spp., Staphylococcus aureus and Chromatium spp. were the bacteria that were found in the river water samples. Except for the Chromatium spp., the same bacteria present in the river water were also found in the dumpsite soil, thus indicating a potential runoff from the dumpsite. Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura were the main helminth species that were seen in the river water and dumpsite samples, while the main protists that were identified included Entamoeba coli and Giardia lamblia. The high bacterial load seen in the river water is a source of concern because the water is used for a wide range of domestic purposes by inhabitants. Therefore, health authorities should make the public aware of the potential danger in using untreated water as a source of drinking water and also encourage in-house treatment of the raw water