PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND MICROBIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISATION OF EDAIKEN AND SANTANA MARKETS OPEN SOLID WASTE DUMPSITES SOILS IN BENIN CITY, NIGERIA

Abstract

The indiscriminate disposal of solid waste has been compromising soil quality worldwide including Benin City. This study assessed the physicochemical parameters and microbial diversity of Edaiken and Santana Markets open dumpsites soils in Benin City. Soil samples were aseptically collected using sterilised auger from depths 0 – 15cm and 15 – 30cm from January to December, 2014. The physicochemical and microbiological qualities were determined using standard methods. Santana market recorded the highest pH and electrical conductivity values of 8.78 ±0.01 in July and 2064±0.21mg/kg in May respectively. There was a highly significant difference
for electrical conductivity and cation exchange capacity at both markets (p<0.001). Edaiken market recorded the highest concentration of 31.55±0.11mg/kg for Iron in July of all heavy metals studied, however, the concentrations of heavy metals reported in this study were generally above the control. The bacterial counts ranged from 0.26±0.15 to 1.28 ±0.59 and fungal from 0.25±0.23 to 1.38±0.21cfu/g with Edaiken market recording the highest. Edaiken market dumpsite soils had a high significant difference in both bacterial and
fungal counts (p<0.001). Santana market had the highest frequency of bacterial and fungal isolates; Alcaligens faecalis (45.65%) in January followed by Bacillus sp. (42.86%) in September and Aspergillus sp. (47.37%) among the fungal isolates followed by Mucor sp. with 44.83% in January at Edaiken market. Dumpsites and depths had high significant effects on the soil parameters studied (p<0.001) while time had no significant effect. The solid wastes negatively influenced the soil properties studied.