Microorganisms Isolated from Sawmill and Poultry Farm and Their Long Term Health Effects in Human Health
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Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2019) 8(3): 809-821 International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 8 Number 03 (2019) Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas.com Original Research Article https://doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2019.803.098 Microorganisms Isolated from Sawmill and Poultry Farm and their Long Term Health Effects in Human Health B.S. Baranu* and E. Edmund Department of Microbiology, Rivers State, University of Science and Technology, P.M.B 5080, Port Harcourt, Nigeria *Corresponding author ABSTRACT Microorganisms from dusts of organic origin was identified from some saw mill, (Site 1) and a poultry farm (Site 1) in Port Harcourt. The exposure to these organic dusts by people employed in these establishments over a long period of time can lead to occupational health diseases especially in immune compromised persons. Nutrient Agar, Sabaroud K e yw or ds Dextrose Agar (SDA), and Mac Conkey Agar (MA) in sedimentation method were used to isolate microorganisms. In Sample Site1, the Total Heterotrophic Bacteria (THB) was Sawmill and greater than the Total Enteric Bacteria (TEB) and the Total Aerobic Fungi (TAF) on a dry Poultry farm, day while the THB is greater than TAF ˃ TEB on a wet season. While in station 2, THB> Microorganisms TEB > TAF during the dry season and THB >TEB > TAF during the wet season. This Article Info result revealed that heterotrophic bacteria are the most dominant during the rainy and dry season in both sites. Between the two sites, microbial concentration in Site 2 (poultry 2 2 Accepted: farm) at 2.115cfu/10min/m is greater than Station 1(sawmill) at 1.608cfu/10min/m ), this 07 February 2019 might be due to the fact that it is a confined area in which birds are bred and its system of Available Online: ventilation is poor. These microorganisms identified in various concentrations can cause 10 March 2019 pulmonary dysfunctions and allergic diseases such as Aspergillosis, Hypersensitivity pneumonitis, chronic bronchitis, rhinitis etc. There is therefore need for workers in these organic dust prone areas to make use of the most practical respirators (nose masks) with the highest assigned protection factor (APF). Introduction propel fine fragments into a gaseous medium (Laakkonen, 2008). Dusts can have different The risks associated with prolonged exposure sizes (ranging from 1-100 µm) and they tend to grain dusts were first identified in the early to settle out under gravitational influence 16thcentury and its exposure has been a major (ISO, 1995). Their effects on the human body source of mortality among agricultural are to a large extent dependent on their workers (Schenker, 2000). Dusts can be respective sizes and nature, also these factors referred to as very fine solid particles that are determine their site of deposition within the usually suspended in the air and they result respiratory system (Laakkonen, 2008). The from the breakdown of materials in order to dusts are usually either larger sized or smaller 809 Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2019) 8(3): 809-821 sized, dusts of larger sized particles are These bioaerosols are active and they are referred to as inhalable dusts and most of made up of some components that result in them are filtered out into the nose, throat and adverse health effects to exposed workers due upper respiratory tract (TUC 2011; Laakonen, to prolonged exposure, Some of these agents 2008). Whereas, smaller sized particles when are bacterial endotoxins, fungi, viruses, high inhaled can go as far as the alveoli and the molecular weight allergens, mycotoxins, lungs and they are referred to as respirable pollens, moulds, proteins from animal hair, dusts, these smaller particles when incessantly urine and droppings, and enzymes which act inhaled over a long period of time can pose a as allergens, tannins, plicatic acid etc threat to human health (TUC, 2011). (Douwess et al., 2003). Based on their sources, dusts can be Materials and Methods categorized into two types which are Organic dusts and inorganic dusts (Schenker, 2000). Study area and sample collection The word ―organic dust‖ also refers to The study was carried out in two sampling ―bioaerosols‖ and it is defined as fine sites, one is the Sawmill located at Timber particles of biological origin (microbial, plant street by Iloabuchi mile 1, Port-Harcourt or animal) that are suspended in the air (Latitude 4.7893765, N 4047’19.38876’’ and (Douwess et al., 2003). These particles are Longitude 6.9831649, E6059’18.62376’’), and usually impregnated with microorganisms and the poultry farm located within Rivers State they include include dusts from wood, flour, University, Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, Port- cotton fibres, paper fibres, fur from animals, Harcourt (Latitude 4.80234 N4o48’8.4096 hay, grains, animal scales, animal dander, Longitude 6.97713 E 6o58’37.68096’’). The evaporated urine droplets and fecal, Sawmill is a facility where logs of wood are household wastes etc (Eduard and Halstensen, cut into lumber, here wood and wood 2009). Organic dusts are usually launched products are processed, the facility comprises into the air by natural forces, such as wind, mainly of male workers and the activities that volcanic eruption, and by mechanical or take place in the sawmill involves the anthropogenic processes such as crushing, transportation of fresh logs of wood from the grinding, milling, drilling, demolition, forest, sawing of the wood, packaging of the conveying, screening, bagging, and sweeping lumber, transportation and the export of the (ISO, 1995). cut lumbers. Organic dusts occur in a range of occupations The Nutrient Agar (NA), Mac Conkey Agar including agricultural work; the textile (MA) and Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA) industry, especially cotton processing; flour plates were exposed to the organic dusts in milling and bakeries; and the wood industry, sites 1 and 2 for about 10 minutes and the particularly sawmills, carpentry, and wood isolates were collected from each source processing, the waste management industry during the wet day and dry day. and so many others. Many of these occupations, particularly agricultural work, The bacterial and fungal isolates were also have the highest potential for concurrent determined using Koch’s sedimentation exposure to other substances that affect method (settle plate technique). In this respiratory health, for example metals, gases, technique, microorganisms from the organic fibres, and chemicals (Omland, 2002). dusts get settled directly on the prepared agar 810 Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2019) 8(3): 809-821 plates exposed on a 4ft high wooden stool for Characterization of fungal isolates a period of 10 minutes. The exposed Nutrient agar and Mac-conkey agar were incubated at The identification of fungal isolates was 370c for 24 hours while the Sabouraud carried out using standard methods based on dextrose agar plates were incubated at room macroscopic and microscopic features as temperature for 72 hours. The colonies that described by Ellis (1971), Domsch et al., were formed on the culture plates were (1980). In macroscopic identification, the recorded as colony forming units per 10 aerial and substratum regions were observed minutes and expressed as cfu/10mins/m2 of for colour, colony structure, colony number air using the following formula: and nature of growth. In microscopic examination, two drops of cotton blue in Cfu/10min/m² =No. of colonies x 10 x 3.142r² lacto-phenol is stained in the center of a clean Time of exposure grease-free slide. A small portion of the fungus was picked from the sub-cultured plate Where, using a sterilized inoculating needle and it was placed on the slide and covered with a r = radius of media plate used (in meters) cover slip. It was examined under the microscope at low power and high power Isolation of pure cultures (x10 and x40 respectively). Discrete colonies were all sub-cultured to Results and Discussion obtain pure colonies. This was achieved by streaking a loop-full of a particular isolate on The following fungal features were noted in an already prepared Nutrient agar plate and this test: incubated at 370c for another 24 hours. The pure cultures were stored accordingly in a Somatic structure nutrient agar slant for further studies. Vegetative structure Reproductive structure Characterization of bacterial isolates Conidial head and vesicle shapes Surface appearance This characterization was done firstly by Colony colour morphological identification of respective colonies, this was followed by using In station 1, total Heterotrophic Bacteria conventional methods which include Gram (THB) 0.804 ˃ Total Enteric Bacteria (TEB) staining, biochemical tests such as catalase, 0.576˃ Total Aerobic Fungi (TAF) 0.108 coagulase, oxidase, urease, motility, methyl- during dry day and TEB 0.204 ˃ THB 0.144 ˃ red(MR),Vogues Proskauer (VP), sugar TAF 0.060 during the wet day. While in fermentation tests which include mannitol, station 2, THB 0.846 > TEB 0.732 > TAF glucose, maltose, lactose and starch 0.192 during the dry day and THB 0.132> hydrolysis. TEB 0.114 > TAF 0.066 during the wet day (Fig. 1–6 and Table 1–6). This result reveals Identification was based on comparison of the that in both stations, heterotrophic bacteria are characteristics of the isolates with those of the the most dominant during the rainy and dry taxa. Details of the test procedures are as season It also reveals that the concentration of follows. microorganisms decreased in the wet day than during the dry season in both stations and this 811 Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2019) 8(3): 809-821 result correlates with that of (Achudume et niger, Aspergillus fumigatus, Rhizopus al., 2009) which states that dusts and arrhizus, Epicoccum nigrum, Saccharomyces microbial proliferation are much higher in dry spp, Penicillium spp with Apergillus flavus seasons than in wet seasons.