J.N. Iheanacho - Lagos Outstation laboratory, National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom, Plateau State, Nigeria
N.M. Bala - Department of Microbiology, Kaduna State University, Kaduna, Nigeria
S.A. Idowu - Department of Microbiology, Federal University Of Technology, Akure, Nigeria
C. Ejike-Okongwu - Lagos Outstation laboratory, National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom, Plateau State, Nigeria
A.A. Amaechi - Tropical Disease Research Unit Department of Zoology, Imo State University, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria

The indiscriminate dumping of solid waste and the lack of proper waste management systems have been an issue threatening environmental and health conditions in most developing countries. This study assessed the physicochemical parameters and microbial load of selected open dumpsite soils in Owerri Imo State. The physicochemical and microbiological qualities were determined using established methods. Results obtained showed that EC values ranged from ۱۰۳.۱۰±۵.۴۸ to ۱۲۸.۸۸±۱۹.۰۹ μS/cm. The pH value ranged from ۵.۴۵±۲.۱۰ to ۶.۷۸±۱.۰۰. At Nekede dumpsite, the phosphate value varied from ۳۳.۱۰±۱۱.۰۱ - ۴۶.۵۰±۶.۰۹ mg/kg, Nitrate, ۸.۳۰±۴.۰۱-۱۰.۷۰±۵.۰۹ mg/kg and Sulphate, ۱۲.۱۰±۶.۰۳ - ۲۰.۷۰±۱۳.۱۰ mg/kg, compared to Chukwuma Nwaoha dump site with Phosphate ۴۴.۰۰±۱۱.۷- ۹۰.۰۱±۹.۴۴ mg/kg, Nitrate, ۱۰.۸۰±۵.۵۰ - ۲۰.۰۰±۸.۰۳c mg/kg and Sulphate, ۱۷.۰۰±۵.۸۱ - ۴۰.۵۵±۱۰.۳۳ mg/kg. In both dumpsites, the Phosphate, Nitrate, and Sulphate levels were significantly (P < ۰.۰۵) higher in the soils from the different sampled locations compared to the control sites. The exchangeable cations: calcium, sodium, magnesium, and potassium across the sample areas also varied from ۳۵.۱۶۰±۱۱.۲ - ۳۷.۶۲۰±۱۱.۹ mg/kg; ۸.۷۲۰±۳.۹۱- ۱۲.۷۷۰±۸.۲۲ mg/kg; ۱۰.۳۴۰±۵.۰۱- ۱۷.۸۶۰±۶.۱۰ mg/kg and ۰.۶۶۰±۰.۰۱- ۱.۹۴۰±۰.۸۸mg/kg for Nekede while Chukwuma Nwaoha recorded ۴۰.۹۰±۱۷.۰۸- ۴۴.۵۶۰±۱۹.۰۲ mg/kg; ۱۰.۵۰۰±۵.۰۲- ۱۳.۰۱۸±۶.۹۱ mg/kg; ۱۲.۱۴۰±۴.۹۹- ۱۶.۰۴۰±۳.۰۹ mg/kg and ۳۲.۶۰۰±۱۱.۵۹- ۴۳.۶۴۰±۱۴.۸۰mg/kg respectively. The most dominant microbial isolate was Staphyloccocus sp., (۱۴%) while the least isolate was Acinetobacter sp. (۳%). For the THB and THF, the average was ۳.۷۷±۱.۴۸ and ۲.۶۱±۲.۰۶; ۴.۹۷±۲.۱۷۴ and ۲.۱۳±۰.۹۱۴ CFU/mL for Nekede Area. The THB and THF average value for Chukwuma Nwaoha Area was ۳.۰۱±۱.۱۷ and ۳.۸۵±۲.۸۱; ۲.۵۵±۱.۸۱۴ and ۱.۷۹±۱.۸۸۴ CFU/mL respectively. The presence of potentially pathogenic microorganisms identified in the dumpsite soils is a major source of public health risk. The study underscores the need for proper waste management systems to forestall environmental pollution.The indiscriminate dumping of solid waste and the lack of proper waste management systems have been an issue threatening environmental and health conditions in most developing countries. This study assessed the physicochemical parameters and microbial load of selected open dumpsite soils in Owerri Imo State. The physicochemical and microbiological qualities were determined using established methods. Results obtained showed that EC values ranged from ۱۰۳.۱۰±۵.۴۸ to ۱۲۸.۸۸±۱۹.۰۹ μS/cm. The pH value ranged from ۵.۴۵±۲.۱۰ to ۶.۷۸±۱.۰۰. At Nekede dumpsite, the phosphate value varied from ۳۳.۱۰±۱۱.۰۱ - ۴۶.۵۰±۶.۰۹ mg/kg, Nitrate, ۸.۳۰±۴.۰۱-۱۰.۷۰±۵.۰۹ mg/kg and Sulphate, ۱۲.۱۰±۶.۰۳ - ۲۰.۷۰±۱۳.۱۰ mg/kg, compared to Chukwuma Nwaoha dump site with Phosphate ۴۴.۰۰±۱۱.۷- ۹۰.۰۱±۹.۴۴ mg/kg, Nitrate, ۱۰.۸۰±۵.۵۰ - ۲۰.۰۰±۸.۰۳c mg/kg and Sulphate, ۱۷.۰۰±۵.۸۱ - ۴۰.۵۵±۱۰.۳۳ mg/kg. In both dumpsites, the Phosphate, Nitrate, and Sulphate levels were significantly (P < ۰.۰۵) higher in the soils from the different sampled locations compared to the control sites. The exchangeable cations: calcium, sodium, magnesium, and potassium across the sample areas also varied from ۳۵.۱۶۰±۱۱.۲ - ۳۷.۶۲۰±۱۱.۹ mg/kg; ۸.۷۲۰±۳.۹۱- ۱۲.۷۷۰±۸.۲۲ mg/kg; ۱۰.۳۴۰±۵.۰۱- ۱۷.۸۶۰±۶.۱۰ mg/kg and ۰.۶۶۰±۰.۰۱- ۱.۹۴۰±۰.۸۸mg/kg for Nekede while Chukwuma Nwaoha recorded ۴۰.۹۰±۱۷.۰۸- ۴۴.۵۶۰±۱۹.۰۲ mg/kg; ۱۰.۵۰۰±۵.۰۲- ۱۳.۰۱۸±۶.۹۱ mg/kg; ۱۲.۱۴۰±۴.۹۹- ۱۶.۰۴۰±۳.۰۹ mg/kg and ۳۲.۶۰۰±۱۱.۵۹- ۴۳.۶۴۰±۱۴.۸۰mg/kg respectively. The most dominant microbial isolate was Staphyloccocus sp., (۱۴%) while the least isolate was Acinetobacter sp. (۳%). For the THB and THF, the average was ۳.۷۷±۱.۴۸ and ۲.۶۱±۲.۰۶; ۴.۹۷±۲.۱۷۴ and ۲.۱۳±۰.۹۱۴ CFU/mL for Nekede Area. The THB and THF average value for Chukwuma Nwaoha Area was ۳.۰۱±۱.۱۷ and ۳.۸۵±۲.۸۱; ۲.۵۵±۱.۸۱۴ and ۱.۷۹±۱.۸۸۴ CFU/mL respectively. The presence of potentially pathogenic microorganisms identified in the dumpsite soils is a major source of public health risk. The study underscores the need for proper waste management systems to forestall environmental pollution.

Dumpsites, Physicochemical properties, Microbial load, Imo State