Time Impact on Spatio -Temporal Density of Microbial Air Contaminants in the Dewatering Zone of Smallholder Gari Processing Facility in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria

Volume 4 - Issue 5

Enetimi Idah Seiyaboh¹, Glory Richard² and Sylvester Chibueze Izah³*

Received: February 24, 2020;   Published: March 10, 2020

DOI: 10.32474/OAJESS.2020.04.000198

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Abstract

This study investigated the time impact of spatio -temporal microbial density of air contaminants in the dewatering zone of smallholder gari processing facility in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Triplicate petri dishes containing solidified Nutrient Agar, Saboraud Agar and MacConkey agar were exposed for 30, 40 and 50 minutes within 2-meter radius of the facility at the dewatering stage of gari processing at a height of 2.5 feet above ground. The agar plates were incubated, and the resulting microbial density determined. Results showed that the density of the microbes were in the range of 11.67 -34.67cfu/30 minutes, 22.00 -53.00cfu/40 minutes and 55.67 -84.67cfu/50 minutes, for total heterotrophic bacteria; 8.00 -24.33cfu/30 minutes, 10.33 -37.00 cfu/40 minutes and 18.67 -55.00cfu/50 minutes, for total fungi, and 7.00 -22.67cfu/30 minutes, 18.00 -34.00cfu/40 minutes and 30.00 -43.67cfu/50 minutes, for enterobacteriaceae counts. Statistically, there were significant variations (p<0.05) across the locations and time. The occurrence of bacteria from the enterobacteriaceae family may have stemmed from the fact that domestic animals such as goats, fowls and even rats move freely within the mills in search of food. The overall high density of microbes is attributable to the exposure time in the dewatering phase of gari processing. The researchers concluded that vulnerable individuals (immunosuppressed\ or compromised, children and elderly) may be susceptible certain disease conditions through bioaerosol inhalation.

Keywords: Bioaerosol, Cassava processing, Environmental contaminants, Public health

Abstract| Introduction| Materials and Methods| Statistical Analysis| Results and Discussion| Conclusion| References|