The microbiological, parasitological and physicochemical studies of
waste refuse dumpsites in University of Benin (Ugbowo Campus),
Benin City, Nigeria
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Abstract
This paper examined the effect of the refuse waste on the microbiological, parasitological and physicochemical properties
on the immediate University of Benin Community. The microbiological, parasitological and physicochemical assessments
were studied using the basic microbiological and parasitological techniques. The total heterotrophic bacterial
counts ranged from 1.1 × 105 ±0.35 cfu/g to 5.4 × 105 ± 0.56 cfu/g and the total fungal counts ranged from 1.5 × 104
± 0.42 cfu/g to 1.9 × 105 ± 0.14 cfu/g of the refuse dumpsites between August, 2011 and January, 2012. The bacterial
counts were shown to be highest in Faculty of Agricultural Science refuse dumpsites in the month of September,
2011. The microbial isolates isolated and characterized includes nine bacterial genera and seven fungal genera, they
include Bacillus, Enterobacter, Staphylococcus, Proteus mirabilis, Micrococcus, Pseudomonas, Serratia, Arthrobacter,
Citrobacter and Aspergillus, Penicillium, Mucor, Rhizopus, Fusarium, Cladiosporium, Trichoderma respectively. The
total mean value of the frequently isolated bacterial isolates were Micrococcus sp 400 (21.8%) and Bacillus sp 369
(20.1%) respectively. The most frequently isolated fungal isolates from the refuse dumpsites were Aspergillus spp and
Penicillium spp with the mean values of 146 (23.4%) and 167 (26.8%) respectively. This study also showed the degree
of dumpsites contamination with pathogenic parasites in the community. A total number of fourteen parasites were isolated
and identified, they include Ascaris lumbricoides (4.1%), Taenia sp (33.8%), Ancyclostoma sp (5.0%), Tapeworm
(25.7%), Taenia saginata (10.6%), Hymenolepsis sp (4.8%), Hymenolepsis diminuta (2.0%), Fasciola hepatica (6.2%),
Capillaria hepatica (1.5%), Capillaria sp (3.2%), Aspiculus sp (0.5%), Ornithobiharzia sp (0.8%), Trichostrongylus
(1.1%) and Syphacia obvelata (0.7%). The result of the physiochemical parameters showed the pH mean value of the
pH range of the refuse dumpsites in the various Faculties for six months of sampling ranged between 5.21 ± 0.39 and
5.57 ± 0.24 with the highest pH was obtained in the Faculty of Management Sciences and the least pH mean value was
obtained in the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences. The results of the metal contents were revealed to be within the permissible
limit. Statistical analyses of the total heterotrophic bacterial counts and fungal counts revealed that there was
significant difference (P>0.05) for the counts obtained from the refuse dumpsites between August, 2011 and January,
2012. Thus, it is recommended that the proper waste management system are essential and the practice of wastes management
practices like waste re-use and recycling should be encouraged