Investigation of biodiversity status in the air within a refuse dumpsite

Abstract

The study investigated the biodiversity status of air within the refuse dumpsite located in Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, Rumuola. The bacteria and fungi aerosols were assessed employing sedimentation technique for three consecutive days separating analysis into morning and afternoon sessions. The bacterial counts obtained for the morning session ranged from 2.53x10⁴ cfu/m³ to 1.61 x10⁴ cfu/m³ while the afternoon session ranged from 3.3 x10⁴ cfu/m³ to 1.58 x10⁴ cfu/m³. The fungal counts for the morning session ranged from 2.39 x10⁴ cfu/m³ to 6.82 x10³ cfu/m³ while the afternoon session ranged from 1.03 x10⁴ cfu/m³ to 7.19 x10³ cfu/m³. The bacteria identified are Bacillus sp., Serratia sp., Escherichia coli, Streptococcus sp., Micrococcus sp., Staphylococcus aureus while the fungi identified are Penicillium sp., Alternaria alternata, Fusarium sp., Aspergillus niger, Mucor sp., Aspergillus flavus, Candida sp. and Rhizopus sp. There is the possibility of adverse health effect on the population considering the high counts and biodiversity. There is need to ensure regular and timely evacuation of the refuse; unlimited orientation and routine health check for those close to the dumpsite.