The impacts of rock quarry activities on physicochemical and bacterial diversity of air in Akpuoha and Ishiagu communities of Ebonyi State, Nigeria

##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.sidebar##

PDF
Issue
Vol. 21 No. 1 (2024)
Section
Articles

##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.main##

DAWN IFY AGWARANZE
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, Federal University Wukari. P.M.B. 1020, Wukari, Taraba State, Nigeria
ALLOYSIUS CHIBUIKE OGODO ♥
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, Federal University Wukari. P.M.B. 1020, Wukari, Taraba State, Nigeria
CHIOMA BLESSING NWANERI
Department of Microbiology, Federal University of Technology. P.M.B. 1526, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria

Abstract

Abstract. Agwaranze DI, Ogodo AC, Nwaneri CB. 2024. The impacts of rock quarry activities on physicochemical and bacterial diversity of air in Akpuoha and Ishiagu communities of Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Asian J Trop Biotechnol 21: 33-40. This study aims to evaluate the impacts of rock mining (quarry) activities physicochemical and bacterial diversity of air in two communities, Akpuoha and Ishiagu of Ebonyi State, Nigeria. The physicochemical parameters of the air were determined in situ using hand-held environmental sensor meters (Roca Raton, England), while the diversity of bacteria was determined using the settle plate technique. The results showed that temperature ranged from 28.5-33.4°C, Particulate Matter (PM2.5) ranged from 3.0-9.4 µg/m3, Particulate Matter (PM10) ranged from 3.0-9.6 µg/m3 and Carbon Oxides (COX) ranged from 3.2-8.9 µ/mol, in Ishiagu during the dry season. The same parameters were assessed in Akpuoha during the dry season with values of temperature ranging from 28.8-31.3°C, PM2.5 ranged from 4.2-8.7 µg/m3, PM10 ranged from 4.4-9.3 µg/m3 while COX ranged from 3.2-7.4 µ/mol. Values were observed to be highest nearest the quarries but decreased with distances away. The same pattern was observed for the parameters during the rainy seasons in both communities; however, lower values were obtained during the rainy season, with the quarry effects being limited to 100-200 m from the quarry edge. The dry season results indicated a more gradual slope extending to 200-300 m. The bacterial diversity of the air was determined and the bacterial physiological groups determined were Total Heterotrophic Bacterial Count (THBC), Total Pathogenic Bacterial Count (TPBC), Total Coliform Count (TCC), and Total Fecal Coliform (TFC). THBC at Ishiagu and Akpuoha in both seasons had the highest counts, followed by TCC and TPBC, while TFC was the least at each sampling distance. The counts decreased with distance from the Quarry site and increased with plate exposure time. Therefore, all quarry industries should be located away from the immediate vicinity of human settlements.

##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.details##

References
Abdulkarim BI, Chiroma TM, Joseph T. 2007. Assessment of CO, CO2 and suspended particulate matter emissions. Leonardo Elect J Pract Technol 11: 109-116.
Abu-Allaban M, Abu-Qudais H. 2011. Impact assessment of ambient air quality by cement industry: A case study in Jordan. Aerosol Air Qual Res 11: 802-810. DOI: 10.4209/aaqr.2011.07.0090.
Agwaranze DI, Nwaugo VO, Ogodo AC, Onudibia ME, Nwaneri CB, Aliba NV. 2018. Effects of Cassava Mill Effluent (CME) on bacteria diversity of soil and aquatic environments in South-South Nigeria. Open Access J Sci 2 (4): 238-242. DOI: 10.15406/oajs.2018.02.00080.
Agwaranze DI, Ogodo AC, Ezeonu CS, Brown STC, Nwaneri CB, Husie LM. 2020. Microbiological assessment of indoor and outdoor air quality in a general hospital in North-East Nigeria. Open Access J Microbiol 15 (1): 9-14. DOI: 10.3923/jm.2020.9.14.
Anand PB. 2020. Waste management in Madras revisited. J Environ Urban 21: 161-176. DOI: 10. 1177/09562 47899 01100 214.
Chiemeka IU. 2011. Determination of the metal content and concentration of quarry dust in air at Ugwuele, Uturu and Abakaliki, Nigeria. Intl Sci Res J 2011: 78-81.
Dove NC, Torn MS, Hart SC, Ta? N. 2021. Metabolic capabilities mute positive responses to direct and indirect warming impacts throughout the soil profile. Nat Commun 12: 2089. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-22408-5.
Enyinnaya OC, Chibueze UV, Chinyere US, Okezie E, Chidi NI, Amadik UE. 2020. Effect of quarrying and stone crushing activities on nutritional composition, heavy metals and oxidative stress indices of Aspilia africana. Pak J Biol Sci 23: 1044-1054. DOI: 10.3923/pjbs.2020.1044.1054.
Etok CA, Asamudo NU, Onwuchekwa IS, Nwaugo VO. 2010. Effects of quarry plant rock dust on soil phosphate solubilizing bacteria and enzymes activities in Ishiagu, Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Nig J Microbiol 24 (1): 2207-2214.
Ezekwe IC. 2019. Impact of Mining on Water Resources in the Ishiagu Area of South Eastern Nigeria. [Ph.D. Thesis. Department of Geography/Planning, Abia State University, Uturu. [Nigeria]
Jiao S, Xu YQ, Zhang J, Hao X, Lu YH. 2019. Core microbiota in agricultural soils and their potential associations with nutrient cycling. mSystems 4: e00313-18. DOI: 10.1128/mSystems.00313-18.
Kalu E. 2018. Environmental impact of stone quarrying activities in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. J Adv Stud Agric Biol Environ Sci 5 (2): 7-22.
Maji S, Ahmed S, Kaur-Sidhu M, Mor S, Ravindra K. 2023. Health risks of major air pollutants, their drivers and mitigation strategies: A review. Air Soil Water Res 2023: 16. DOI: 10.1177/11786221231154659.
Nielsen UN, Wall DH, Six J. 2015. Soil biodiversity and the environment. Ann Rev Env Resour 40: 63-90. DOI: 10.1146/annurev-environ-102014-021257.
Nwaugo VO, Onyeagba RA, Nwachukwu NC, Agwaranze DI. 2006. Microbial species associated with air conditioner filters in South Eastern, Nigeria. Nig J Microbiol 20 (3): 1406-1412.
Okafor OC, Njoku C, Akwuebu AN 2023. Environmental impact of quarrying on air quality in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Environ Sci Eur 35: 98. DOI: 10.1186/s12302-023-00793-6.
Okafor OC, Njoku C. 2021. Water quality as affected by quarry activities in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Preprint 2021. DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-1183204/v1.
Osuide SO. 1990. Environmental pollution in Nigeria. Habitat Intl 14 (1): 5-15. DOI: 10.1016/0197-3975(15)90014-R.
Owens MW, Kinasewitz GT, Gonzalez E. 1988. Case Report: Sandblaster’s lung with mycobacterial infection. Am J Med Sci 295: 554-557. DOI: 10.1097/00000441-198806000-00010.
Peter C, Alozie MC, Zubuine CE. 2018. Stone quarrying impact on air soil water in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. J Pollut Eff Cont 6: 225. DOI: 10.4172/2375-4397.1000225.
Salim MA 2016. Lung function and symptoms among quarry workers in Kano. Bayero J Med Lab Sci 1 (1): 34-39.
Wang A. 2020. Principles of Environmental Impact Assessment Best Practice. International Association for Impact Assessment Headquarters, Suite C. Fargo, ND, USA.
Wanjiku MW. 2015. Occupational Health and Safety Hazards Associated with Quarrying Activities; A Case of Mutonga Quarry, Meru County, Kenya. [Master Thesis]. Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Juja. [Kenya]
Zhou X, Chen X, Qi X, Zeng Y, Guo X, Zhuang G, Ma A. 2023. Soil bacterial communities associated with multi-nutrient cycling under long-term warming in the alpine meadow. Front Microbiol 14: 1136187. DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1136187.