BACTERIAL DIVERSITY ON SELECTED DUMPSITE IN MADONNA UNIVERSITY, ELELE NIGERIA

Improper waste disposal poses serious environmental and public health risks, as dumpsite serve as reservoirs for diverse microbial populations, including pathogenic bacteria. This study investigated the bacterial diversity of selected dumpsites in Madonna university with the aim of isolating, identifying and comparing the bacterial species present in soil samples collected from three dumpsites (A, B and C). A total of nine soil samples were collected aseptically from the three dumpsites and analyzed using standard microbiological techniques. Total heterotrophic bacterial counts (THBC), bacterial isolation and identification were carried out using conventional culture and biochemical techniques. The THBC ranged from 3.5 x 106 to 5.0 × 106 CFU/g, indicating substantial bacterial contamination and variation among the bacterial isolates. Dumpsite B consistently recorded the highest bacterial counts, whereas in Dumpsite C the lowest were determined, and differences among sampling sites were evaluated using one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) at p≤0.05. the study revealed a high diversity of bacteria, with predominant genera including Escherichia, staphylococcus, Bacillus, pseudomonas, Proteus specie and klebsiella, among the isolated bacteria species, Bacillus specie showed the highest frequency of occurrence (34.3%) while Klebsiella specie showed the lowest frequency occurrence (6.7%). The antibiotic susceptibility test indicated varying responses among the bacterial isolates. (Bacillus and Staphylococcus species) demonstrated a moderate (33%) susceptibility to (amoxicillin) while (Escherichia coli, pseudomonas specie, Proteus specie and klebsiella specie,) showed about 67% resistance to (gentamycin, zinnacef and amoxicillin). Some even indicated resistance to multiple antibiotics, which symbolizes the occurrence of multidrug-resistance bacterial populations within the environment of the dumpsite. The presence of these enteric pathogens indicates potential environmental contamination both from human and animal wastes, whereas the predominance of Bacillus and Pseudomonas species reflects their ability to survive under diverse environmental conditions and take part actively in the biodegradation of organic matter. The noticed antibiotic pattern of resistance is of environmental and public health significance as dumpsites may serve as sources of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and resistance determinant. The findings therefore emphasized the need for proper waste management and continuous environmental monitoring to minimize microbial hazard associated with open dumpsites.