Bacterial Isolates of Soils of Different Waste Types in Yenagoa Central Solid Waste Dumpsite, Nigeria

Abstract

Managing wastes has remained a continuous issue for developing countries like Nigeria. Microorganisms can be utilized to augment the efficiency of degradation of undesired wastes. The microorganisms associated with soils of solid wastes in Yenagoa Central Waste Dumpsite of Bayelsa State, Nigeria were investigated. Soil samples were collected from four locations having sorted wastes of plastics, metals, glass, general wastes and a control area devoid of any waste within the dumpsite. The soil samples were examined for some physicochemical parameters and culturable bacteria using standard procedures. Soil temperature across the locations was 29°C, pH values were between 7.3 and 7.7, moisture contents ranged from 1% – 9%, soil particle sizes were 63.3g/cm – 91.4g/cm, electrical conductivity 62 mS/m – 200 mS/m, and the total organic carbon ranged from 0.88% to 5.64%. The Total Heterotrophic Bacterial (THB) counts were between 1.50 ± 0.00 x 105 cfu/g and 7.96 ± 3.21 x 105 cfu/g, with general wastes having the highest counts and the control soil with the least counts. The frequencies of occurrence of the isolates were Bacillus spp. (21.88%), E. coli (18.75%), Salmonella spp. and Vibrio spp. (15.62%), filamentous bacteria Streptomyces spp. (12.50%) and Eikelboom Type 0092 (9.38%), and Streptococcus spp. (6.25%). All bacterial species were present in the general wastes. Salmonella and Streptococcus species were absent in plastic wastes, Eikelboom type 0092, Vibrio and E. coli were absent in metal wastes while for glass, Eikelboom type 0092, Vibrio and Streptococcus species were not isolated. The control soil was devoid of Streptomyces and Salmonella species. The presence of specific bacterial species with location could be indicative of their association with the biodegradation of the specific waste type. On further research, these microorganisms could be explored for their potential in waste management.