IMPACTS OF TEXTILE DYE EFFLUENTS ON THE MICROBIAL AND PHYSICOCHEMICAL QUALITIES OF SURROUNDING SOIL IN OSHOGBO METROPOLIS, NIGERIA

This study was carried out to investigate the microbiological and physicochemical properties of textile dye effluent contaminated soil collected from selected production discharge units within Oshogbo metropolis using standard techniques. The mean pH of the textile effluents was 8.4. The levels of the other parameters investigated were 96.50±0.02 mg/l, 10.08±0.05 mg/l, 3.65±0.21 mg/l, and 6.35±0.21 mg/l, for total dissolved solids (TDS), total suspended solids (TSS), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) respectively. The level of Chloride (204.20±0.14 mg/l) was significantly high when compared with Sulphate that had 7.21±0.08 mg/l. The order of concentration of heavy metals in the effluents is Fe>Zn>Mn>Ni>Pb>Cd. The total bacterial counts (TBC) were generally higher than that of fungal counterparts (TFC) in the soil samples of study locations. The range for TBC was from 1.45 x 106 to 7.20 x 106 cfu/ml, while that for TFC was from 1.34 x 104 to 5.31 x 104cfu/ml. Theidentified bacterial isolates were Klebsiella aerogenes, Esherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas spp., Proteus spp., Streptococcus sp. and Micrococcus sp. and identified fungal isolates were Mucor, Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Neurospora spp., from the sampling locations. Findings from this study showed that all the chemicals analysed were withinthe standards set by WHO and FEPA, except for Zn and Ni, which were respectively higher one and three of the dye effluent sampling locations. The bacterial and fungal isolates could be consideredas biological pre- and post-treatment agents for cost-effective and eco-friendly remediation of textile effluents to minimize water and soil pollution, thereby, ensuringsustainable environmental and economic development.