Global Journal of Biology, Agriculture & Health Sciences

Abstract

STUDIES ON THE BACTERIAL FLORA OF SYNTHETIC-DETERGENT EFFLUENT AND THEIR BIODEGRADATION POTENTIALS

Amengialue, O. O., Ibeh, I. N., Egharevba, A. P., Omoigberale, M. N. O. & Edobor, O.

Soapy detergents constitute a major part of anthropogenic liquid waste that is regularly discharged into the environments which may have a deleterious effect if not completely degradable. Hence, the potential utilization of Ariel and Omo detergents by bacterial isolates from laundry effluents from Unique, Superkleen and Mega laundries all in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria were investigated. Physico-chemical parameters such as temperature, pH, BOD, COD, DO, total hydrocarbon and ionic components were determined following the APHA outlined methods. Bacteria isolates characterized from the laundry effluents includes: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Klebsiella aerogenes, Enterobacter liquefasciens and Citrobacter koseri. The mean total heterotrophic bacterial counts of the laundry effluents were 8.4×105 cfu/ml, 2.2×105 cfu/ml and 4.1×105 cfu/ml for Unique, Superkleen and Mega laundries respectively. Biodegradation potential of the test detergents by the indigenous bacterial isolates was optimal at pH range of 5.0 – 7.4 with Pseudomonas aeruginosa showing the highest utilization potential.

Published Date: 2013-10-18;