Assessment of physicochemical and bacteriological parameters of soil and water receiving abattoir waste water in port Harcourt

The physicochemical and microbiological characteristics of water and soil receiving abattoir wastewater from six locations in Port Harcourt were analyzed.  Standard methods of microbiological and physicochemical analysis were adopted. The parameters of the wastewater samples studied include; pH, temperature, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), dissolved oxygen (DO), phosphate, nitrate and chemical oxygen demand (COD) and these parameters studied were within the standard limit for waste water to be discharged into the environment. Microbiological analyses carried out on the abattoir effluent, abattoir soil and abattoir air quality showed that the samples were contaminated with bacteria. Total heterotrophic bacterial count (THB), Total Coliform count (TCC), Salmonella count (SC), ranged between 3.0x10² – 1.1x10⁷ cfu/ml, 6.0x10² – 2.2x10⁵ cfu/ml, and 1.2x10⁵ – 4.0x10⁵cfu/ml. The bacterial species that were isolated and identified using biochemical tests include; Bacillus spp, Salmonella spp, Escherichia coli, Shigella spp Staphylococcus aureus, Klebisiella spp, Enterobacter spp, and Vibrio spp. Bacillus spp was the predominant bacteria isolated with the frequency of occurrence of 33.3%. The presence of these microorganisms in the six locations studied could be as a result of indiscriminate disposal of untreated abattoir effluents into water bodies by the abattoir workers in these areas, which is an indication that the wastewater was highly polluted with pathogenic microorganisms and higher microbial counts compared to the maximum acceptable levels provided by ISO and FAO thus posing a serious environmental hazard to the people living within the neighborhoods if not treated. Therefore, effective waste management and treatment techniques are highly recommended to mitigate the adverse impacts of abattoir wastewater on soil and water quality, thus safeguarding the environment and protecting public health.