Bacterial Density in Soil Samples Collected from Hospital Wastes Dumping Site at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu Medical Centre, Uli, Anambra State, Nigeria.

Abstract

The soil quality is characterized by adequate nutrients as a result of abundant nutrients cycling bacteria. Most soil in Nigeria has been subjected to different kinds of pollutants resulting from anthropogenic activities which have become a major threatening factor to the quality of soil. This study was carried out to evaluate bacterial density in soil samples collected from hospital wastes dumping site at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu Medical Centre, Uli, Anambra State. A total of 30 composite soil samples were aseptically collected from the site using a sterile soil auger. The samples were analyzed for total heterotrophic bacterial count (THBC) and phosphate solubilizing bacterial count (PSBC) using standard plate technique. The predominant bacterial isolates that aided nutrients cycling were appropriately characterized, and their densities in both impacted and non-impacted soil samples were enumerated. Also, the bacterial isolates were characterized based on morphology, microscopy, and biochemical characteristics. There was an increase in the THBC and PSBC in the impacted soil, and Gram negative rods such as Pseudomonas, Klebsiella, and Micrococcus species (Gram positive) were the bacterial isolates. The study has revealed that wastes generated from hospital enhances microbial proliferation in the soil, which invariably increases soil fertility. Keywords: Bacterial Density, Soil Samples, Hospital Wastes and Dumping Site