Journal of Advances in Biology & Biotechnology

Investigation of Bioaerosols and the Microbiological Indoor Air Quality in an Urban Nursery School in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Ughala Ezinwanne — 2023-05-03

Aims: This study was aimed at investigating the microbial quality of air within the confines of nursery school children. Early exposure to these indoor pollutants can lead to major public health concerns which include acute respiratory tract infections, allergies as well as cancer.

Study Design: Random sampling approach was used in the collection of the samples. Air samples were collected from two different classrooms in a nursery school.

Place and Duration of Study: Air samples were collected within the confines of the nursery section of the Demonstration Primary School in the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria every other weekday in the month of May 2022.

Methodology: Culture media were placed at the four corners of two classrooms in the nursery section. This nursery class comprised of children between the ages of 4-5 years Nutrient, MacConkey and potato dextrose agar media were used to culture airborne microorganisms during the study. For differential identification of bacteria, citrate, motility, oxidase, indole, catalase, methyl red Voges Proskauer, triple salt iron agar, sugar fermentation tests were carried out.

Results: Both bacterial and fungal species of medical importance, such as Bacillus, Shigella, Micrococcus, Serratia, Proteus, Yersinia, Enterobacter, Penicilium, Aspergillus, Candida, Microsporum. Exophiala and Mucor spp were isolated in this study. The most predominant bacterial species among the isolates in the study was Bacillus sp. with the percentage occurrence of 25%. Shigella and Yersinia species had the percentage occurrence of 16.67% respectively other species like Serratia, Micrococcus, Enterobacter and Proteus each had percentage occurrence of 8.33% which was the lowest occurrence. All the fungal isolates had similar or equal percentage occurrence (16.67%).

Conclusion: Exposure to microbial aerosols in nursery schools can lead to several health complications. Thus, recognition, control and monitoring of air quality in schools are crucial in limiting the spread of airborne pathogens.

An Assessment of the Effect of Pollution on Zooplanktons in Calabar Great Kwa River, Nigeria

Paul B. Ekpo — 2023-05-10

Aim: Zooplanktons in the Calabar Great Kwa River were studied to assess the effect of pollution from human activities around the river on their respective abundance.

Place and Duration of Study: Samples were collected at the Esuk Atu and Esuk Atimbo stations of the Calabar Great Kwa River. Identification of Zooplanktons was carried out at the Laboratory of the Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria.

Methodology: Collected samples were preserved, transferred to the laboratory, identified using a dissecting microscope and classified according to their different taxonomical groups.

Results: The Results showed that zooplankton abundance and distribution recorded in the stations were low due to pollution and interference from high human activities around the river such as domestic solid wastes, sewage waste waters, industrial effluents, pesticides, sand mining activities, hydrocarbons and other toxic substances. In Esuk Atu, the total abundance of zooplanktons in the periods of sampling were 12, 6, 3 and 11, while the numbers of taxa represented in the periods of sampling were 4, 3, 1 and 4. In Esuk Atimbo, the total abundance of zooplanktons in the periods of sampling were 7, 5, 9 and 10 while the numbers of taxa represented in the periods of sampling were 3, 3, 3 and 2. The zooplankton taxa identified in station 1(Esuk Atu) are Cladoceran (38%), Ostracoda (22%), Copepoda (19%), Rotifera (12%), Lepidoptera (6%) and Protozoa (3%). The zooplankton taxa identified in station 2 (Esuk Atimbo) are Copepoda (26%), Cladoceran (23%), Nemata (23%), Lepidoptera (16%), Rotifera (6%), Polycheata (3%) and Paguridae (3%).

Conclusion: These findings necessitate the need for the regulation and control of pollution from human activities around the Calabar Great Kwa River so as to ensure that the river is free from harmful contaminants thereby preserving the zooplanktons and other relevant organisms.

Assessment of X-ray Irradiation on the Morphological Performance of Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas [L.] Lam)

Ndem E. Edu — 2023-05-11

Aim: Sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas [L.] Lam) were studied to assess the influence of x-ray irradiation on the morphological performance.

Place and Duration of Study: Samples were collected from National Root Crop Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike, irradiation was done in the x-ray unit of a medical laboratory, planting and data analysis were done at the experimental farm and laboratory of the Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, University of Calabar.

Methodology: Stems of Sweet potatoes were grouped and non-control groups irradiated at different x-ray doses, planted and morphological parameters analyzed.

Results: The results showed no significant difference in the treatments for parameters such as number of leaves, leaf area, leaf length, plant height, leaf width and days to sprouting when kilo voltage (kV) was constant at 40kV and milli Amperes per second (mAs) varied from 1.6mAs to 3.2mAs. There was also no significant difference in the treatments for parameters such as leaf area, leaf length, leaf width and days to sprouting when mAs was constant at 1.6mAs and kilo voltage (kV) varied from 40kV to 100kV. The results also showed that the low doses of x-ray irradiation did not cause aberrations in the morphological performance of sweet potato.

Conclusion: These findings necessitate the need for adequate irradiation doses in the use of ionizing radiations on crops in order to maintain and improve their varieties.

Analysis of Food Items and Diet Preference in the Stomach of Synodontis obesus (Boulenger, 1898: Siluriformes, Mochokidae) in the Lower Cross River, Nigeria

John Etitigwun Ukpatu — 2023-05-15

Analysis of stomach contents of Synodontis obesus (BOULENGER, 1898: SILURIFORMES, MOCHOKIDAE) in the Lower Cross River, Nigeria was carried out with standard methods to assess the food items and diet preference of the S. obesus. A total of 160 individuals of S. obesus (Mochokidae) were collected from October 2022 - January, 2023 at Akan Obio Uraun fishing port in Itu Local Government Area, Lower Cross River, Nigeria from local fishers and used for the study. Analysis of the fullness of stomach showed that 84.4% had food contents while 15.60% were empty stomachs. Samples with one quarter (25%) stomach fullness had the highest value of 28.13% while samples with 100% stomach fullness (18.75%) were more than those with half (50%) stomach fullness (17.52%). Twelve food items were found in the digestive tubes of the species, indicating that the fish has a high level of food selectivity and rich nutrition regime. The percentage frequency of occurrence of the food items with respect to whole sample indicated that plants part accounted for 36.98 %, animal items 21.93%, and palm fruits 16.05%, detritus 9.49%, sand grains 7.30%, insect /insect appendages 6.80%, and unidentified items 1.45 %. The wider food spectrum exhibited by the species revealed trophic flexibility. Food items increased as the fish grows in size but declined at old age indicating transitional diet shift as the fish grows bigger. The fish species is omnivore, feeding on a wide variety of food items including detritus. The results of this study are useful in determining the relationships between food availability, diet favorite and growth of the species in freshwater ecosystem.

Characterization and Functional Properties of Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolated from Fermented Maize Dough Used for the Preparation of Doklu

Wilson L. A. Assohoun — 2023-06-02

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) has long been safely applied in the production of fermented foods and beverages. These bacteria are important for their contribution to food quality and also for their undeniable effects on health. In Africa, despite the abundance of isolated food sources and the diversity of identified microorganisms, the market for probiotics and functional foods based on selected local strains is almost non-existent. This paper aims to determine some technological properties of LAB isolates from fermented maize dough used for doklu production for potential application in food and probiotic products. A total of 25 LAB strains isolated from maize dough fermentation processes during doklu production were identified by 16S rDNA gene sequencing. Technological studies such as growth and acidification kinetics, diacetyl production, hydrogen peroxide production, and proteolytic activity were carried out. Their survival and growth under unfavorable conditions of temperature, salt concentration and pH were also analyzed. The isolates were identified as Pediococcus acidilactici (56%), Lactobacillus fermentum (24%), Pediococcus pentosaceus (12%) and Lactobacillus plantarum (8%). The technological properties of the LAB strains showed that 10 of them rapidly acidify the medium with pH variation (ΔpH) greater than 1 after 6 hours of fermentation. Good production of diacetyl and hydrogen peroxide, as well as good proteolytic activity, were obtained for several strains. Pediococcus acidilactici S15, S55, S56; Lactobacillus plantarum S32, S121 and Lactobacillus fermentum S44 showed the best technological properties. However, only 5 of them obtained good resistance following the various survival and growth under unfavorable conditions of temperature, salt concentration, and pH. This work has therefore demonstrated that the lactic acid bacteria involved in the natural fermentation of maize dough have interesting properties for various applications whether in the processing of food products as well as in the development of probiotic products.