Paper Contents
Abstract
This study was to isolate and identify the bacteria in soil contaminated with cassava mill effluent in Ifite Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria. Soil samples from two different locations polluted with cassava mill effluent were collected. The isolation and identification were carried out using standard analytical methods. The agars used were Nutrient agar and MacConkey agar. The population of bacteria (microbial count) was determined. Pseudomonas spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Lactobacillus spp., and Bacillus spp. were isolated from the soil samples and characterized. The microscopic analysis showed that all the bacteria isolates were gram positive except one. Bacillus spp. had the highest frequency of occurrence while Lactobacillus spp. had the least frequency of occurrence. Soil contaminated with cassava mill effluent caused some physicochemical changes in the samples collected which were: Cyanide content 3.0 mgkg, conductivity 33.4uScm, phosphate 0.52 mgkg, nitrate 0.35 mgkg, sulphate 13.0 mgkg, calcium 167.0 mgkg, pH 6.3 mgkg, magnesium 89.0 mgkg, potassium 4.0 mgkg and sodium 92.0 mgkg. This study thus reveals that the cassava mill effluent has some deleterious effects on soil structure, soil microbiota, and soil quality, and hence recommends that appropriate measures be put in place to enforce and regulate the treatment of such effluents prior to discharge to receiving soil The cassava effluent should therefore be treated before discharge into the environment to prevent possible pollution.
Copyright
Copyright © 2023 Agu Kingsley Chukwuebuka. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License.
