Microbiological and Physicochemical Assessment of Poultry Soil Samples in Akure Metropolis, Nigeria
Abstract
Human activities such as animal production in many parts of the world, still impact negatively on the environment and biodiversity. This study was carried out to assess the microbiological and physicochemical parameters of poultry soil samples. Soil samples were collected from different poultry in Akure metropolis and soil samples from Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) environment as control. Microbiological and physicochemical analyses were carried out using standard methods. The mean total viable bacterial count of poultry soil ranged from 9.02±0.511×105 cfu/g in sample site A to 11.2±0.021×105 cfu/g in sample site B and there were significant difference (p<0.05) between the bacterial count of poultry soil and control, mean highest fungal load is 6.05±0.301× 103 sfu/g. Bacteria isolated were Escherichia coli, Aeromonas hydrophila ,Bacilllus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, Klebsiella pneumonia, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus faecium. Escherichia coli had the highest occurrence of 23.08% while Aeromonas hydrophila had the lowest occurrence of 5.13%. Fungi isolated were Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus fumigates and Saccharomyces species. Aspergillus niger 46.67% had the highest occurrence while Saccharomyces species had the lowest occurrence of 13.33%. Physiochemical analysis showed that poultry soil had mean pH, temperature and Organic Carbon of 7.92±0.34, 34±0.04oC and 14.88±0.56% respectively, Organic Matter is 5.50±0.61%, Nitrogen 1.27±0.03 mg/g, Phosphorus58.92±0.01 mg/g, Potassium55.48±0.23 mg/g, Sodium 41.77±0.91mg/g, Calcium 28.70±0.24mg/g, Magnesium 20.65±0.32 mg/g and Cation exchange capacity146.60±0.11%. The results obtained calls for proper discharge of poultry waste into the environment to prevent transmission of diseases by water borne pathogens.
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Introduction
Soil is referred to the outer, loose materials of earth surface, a layer distinctly different from the underlying bedrocks, is the key component of natural ecosystem and environmental sustainability depends largely on sustainable ecosystem. Soil supports a complex ecosystem which supports the plants on the surface and new soils are created from breakdown of rocks and sand. Soil contains a wide range of organisms such as bacteria, actinomycetes, fungi, algae and protozoa. Some soils may contain up to one million species of microbes per gramme, most of these species being unknown, making soil the abundant ecosystem on earth (Arotupin et al., 2013; Obasi et al., 2013).
Human activities in many parts of the world, e.g., animal production, still impact negatively on the environment and biodiversity. Some of the consequences of man-made pollution include transmission of diseases by water borne pathogens, eutrophication of natural water bodies, accumulation of toxic or recalcitrant chemicals in the soil, destabilization of ecological balance and negative effects on human health (Amisu et al., 2003). The continuous drive to increase meat production for the protein needs of the ever increasing world population has some pollution problems attached (Eze et al., 2013).
The poultry industry is one of the largest and fastest growing agro-based industries in the world. This can be attributed to an increasing demand for poultry meat and egg products. However, a major problem facing the poultry industry is the large scale accumulation of wastes including manure and litter which may pose disposal and pollution problems unless environmentally and economically sustainable management technologies are evolved. Most of the litter produced by the poultry industry is currently applied to agricultural land as a source of nutrients and soil amendment. However environmental pollution, resulting from nutrient and contaminant leaching can occur when poultry litter is applied under soil. Poultry manures are known to harbor human pathogens, culture and molecular-based work has shown that poultry litter is a reservoir for several zoonotic pathogens (Bolan et al., 2010) which may contaminate the surroundings.
Similarly, the physicochemical properties of the soil may become altered, such as the pH, due to the uncontrolled discharge of untreated waste resulting in the loss of certain soil microbes (Rabah et al., 2010).Tortora et al. (2007), reported that following the discharge of untreated wastewater into the soil, certain elements (for example, iron, lead, phosphorus, calcium, and zinc) previously absent or present in minute quantities will be introduce into the leading to the magnification of these chemicals and thus altering the physicochemical nature of the soil. Some of these chemicals may be toxic to the microbial, floral and faunal communities of the soil.
The discharge of untreated wastes into the environment in Nigeria is still a problem, despite the establishment of Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA) since 1998 (Adeyemo, 2003). Different types of layers and broilers are mostly reared in the studied poultries, with their litters been disposed without treatment into nearby land to the poultry. The litters decay with time and mixed with soil, during raining season, the top soil is washed away into water way by erosion within the neighborhood and may affect the whole biological community, including species diversity and contaminant accumulation in the food chain. The aim of this study is to assess the microbiological and physicochemical characteristics of poultry soil samples in Akure.
Conclusion
High microbial load in poultry soil observed in this study suggest that poultry soil are heavily contaminated with poultry waste which encourage the proliferation of microorganisms and this can alter soil biodiversity. The presence of human pathogenic bacteria in poultry soil shows that soil in poultry environment is a public health concern as water can runoff the surface soil and passed in to surface and underground water. This will expose those living in poultry environment to water borne bacterial pathogens. However, the physicochemical parameters; pH, temperature, high mineral content and cation exchange capacity shows that poultry soil will be very good for agricultural purposes. Therefore, poultry farmers need to be aware of the potential health risk of discharging poultry waste into their environment without treatment.
