ASSESSMENT OF MICROBIOLOGICAL AND PHYSIOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF WASTEWATER FROM RESTAURANTS IN AKURE, NIGERIA
ABSTRACT
The microbial and physiochemical properties of wastewater from restaurants in Akure metropolis was investigated using standard techniques. The mean value of bacteria count ranged from 5.5 × 107cfu/ml to 7.4 × 107cfu/ml while fungal count ranged from 4.1× 104 sfu/ml to 5.2× 104 sfu/ml. The bacteria isolates were Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Shigella dysenteriae Escherichia coli, Micrococcus luteus, Serratia marcescens and Proteus vulgaris. Fungal isolates include Aspergillus, Fusarium, Penicillum, Triscelosporus. Staphylococcus aureus and Shigella dysenteriae were
frequently isolated (22.2%). Physiochemical parameter of wastewater samples such as pH, temperature, total suspended solids (TSS), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) fall within the range of the Federal environment protection agency (FEPA) effluent specification. This study reveals that indiscriminate discharge of wastewater into the environment may pose serious health implication due to the presence of pathogenic microorganisms in such wastewater samples.
KEYWORDS: wastewater, microorganisms, restaurants, physiochemical properties