Microorganisms Associated With Domestic Waste-dump Site

The study is aimed at identifying bacteria and fungi associated with domestic dump site. A total of eight soil samples were collected from three different dump sites in Port Harcourt city. The samples were examined for temperature, pH and total heterotrophic bacterial and fungal counts. The mean temperature values of the soils ranged from 27 to 28°C while the mean pH values ranged from 6.7 to 7.85. The mean heterotrophic bacterial population ranged from 2.8X106 to 3.3X106cfu/g while the mean fungal population ranged from 1.3X105 to 3.3X105cfu/g. The bacteria population isolated from the waste dump sites were: Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus spp, Klebsiella spp, Proteus spp, Pseudomonas spp, Serretia spp, Corynebacterium spp and Streptococcus spp, while the fungi included Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus terreus, Fusarium spp, Mucor spp, penicilluim spp, Microsporum spp, Rhizopus spp and Saccharomyces spp. The presence of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus spp Corynebacterium and Klebsiella spp in the waste indicate possible contamination of the human and animal origin or activities.