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The microbiological
effects of hospital wastes on the environment
Oyeleke, S. B.* and
Istifanus, N.
Department of Microbiology, Federal University of
Technology, Minna.
*Corresponding author. E-mail:
droyeleke@yahoo.com.
Accepted
21 July, 2009 |
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The effect
of 24 hospital wastes samples taking from different
hospitals waste dumpsites on its surrounding soil was
examined. The counts of microorganisms in hospital dumpsite
soil include the following; aerobic heterotrophic counts
varies from 4.2 x 105 to 1.6 x 1010,
the anaerobic heterotrophic counts varies from 1.0 x 105
to 1.6 x 109 while fungi counts 0 to 6.9 x
106 while the counts in soil adjacent to
dumpsites include the following; aerobic heterotrophic
counts varies from 1.0 x 105 to 4.0 x 109,
the anaerobic heterotrophic counts varies from 1.0 x 105
to 5.0 x 108 while fungi counts is between 0 to
1.0 x 106. Bacteria isolated at the soil dumpsite
and soil adjacent to dumpsites respectively include
Bacillus sp (42.86; 45%), Micrococcus roseus
(14.29; 10%),Staphylococcus epidermidis (9.52,
10%), Corynebacterium equi (1.59; 5%),
Bacillus subtilis (4.76; 5%), B.
licheniformis (9.52; 10%), Actinomyces israeli
(3.17; 5%) while fungi isolated include Rhizopus
nigricans (27.59; 18.52%), Aspergillus flavus
(13.79; 3.70%), Penicillium rubrum (6.86; 3.70%),
Trichothecium roseum (0; 3.70%), Penicillium
viricadum (6.90; 0%) Aspergillus niger (34.48;
44.44%), Aspergillus nidulans (0; 11.11%),
Aspergillus visicolor (3.45; 3.45%), Aspergillus
parasiticus (0; 7.41%), and Microsporum canis
(6.9; 0%). The dumpsites soil recorded higher pH value than
the adjacent soil. The investigation revealed that the
hospital waste dumpsites may have adverse effects on its
immediate environment.
Key
words:
Hospital wastes, aerobic counts, anaerobic heterotrophic
counts, soil dump site and soil adjacent. |
