ABSU Journal of Environment, Science and Technology, Vol.

3:000-000,
2013
www.absujest.org

Physicochemical and Microbiological Quality of Soils surrounding

Two Man-Made Lakes in Abia State Nigeria
1
Ugbogu O.C.,2Onyeagba R.A., 2Nwaugo, V.O. 3Ugbogu E.A and 4Ogbonna,C.E.
1

Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences Federal

University Wukari, Nigeria
2
Department of Microbiology, Abia State University Uturu Abia State, Nigeria
3
Department of Biochemistry, Abia State University Uturu Abia State, Nigeria
4
Department of Environmental Resource Management, Abia State University, Uturu.
Abstract
The physicochemical and microbial quality of soils surrounding Two Man-Made Lakes in Abia State
Nigeria was investigated. Examination of the soils surrounding the lakes revealed that the soils were
black, dark brown, reddish-black and light brown in colour at various points. The soils had higher
percentage of sand followed by silt, then clay (Sand > Silt > Clay) and pH range of 6.95- 7.47 and
6.86- 7.47 in water and salt respectively. Organic carbon ranged from 1.37-3.1%, organic matter ranged
from 2.02-4.42%, phosphate 0.005-3.90mg/g and sulphate 2.30- 3.65mg/g. The textural class of the
soils were Sandy loam (Sl), Loamy sand (Ls) and Sandy clay loam (Scl). The soils adjoining the lakes
had total aerobic mesophilic count range of 1.18- 1.26 10 7cfu/g and 1.48- 1.80 10 7cfu/g for dry and
rainy seasons. The predominant fungi isolated from soils adjoining the lakes were Microsporium
audounii, Aspergillus flavus, Fusarium species, Penicillium species and Aspergillus niger and
Aspergillus glaucaus. This study provides baseline data on the physicochemical and microbiological
quality of these soils surrounding these man-made lakes in a tribute mining community.
Keywords: Physicochemical, Microbiological, soils, man-made lakes, soil texture
Corresponding author: Email: ositadinmacu@fuwukari,edu.ng ; Phone +2347034745641

Introduction
The benefits derived from the creation
of man-made lakes in Nigeria and
other developing countries are usually
associated with great risks. The
creation of dams have resulted in
artificial lakes (Araoye, 2002). Stone
quarrying and soil excavation for road
construction work often result in ponds
and lakes (Obiekezie, 2005). The
creation of embarkments such as dams
and dikes can disrupt the balance in the
environment by interfering with the
quality and quantity of the available
food items, living space, inter and intra
specific
competition
and
the
limnological conditions (Araoye and
Jeje, 1999). The benefits derived from
dams and creation of man-made lakes
include the storing of water for power
generation,
irrigation,
fisheries,
navigation, flood and erosion control
purposes (Araoye, 2002). However
these benefits are not devoid of
financial and environmental problems.
The spread of waterborne diseases
most times, though forseen, was not

considered as crucial until when the

harm was done and could no longer be
ignored (Nwaugo,1998; Nwaugo et al.,
2004). In Nigeria as well as other
developing countries, the issue of
conservation
or
environmental
protection is of less interest whenever
it comes to building dams for
electricity and irrigation (Araoye,
2002) as well as during road
construction projects. This may be
because of the need for infrastructural
development, industrialization and
agriculture in order to alleviate the
problems of poverty. Hence other
valuable resources such as fisheries
and wildlife conservation are usually
ignored at the planning stages of the
construction dam projects and road
construction. These projects result in
creation of reservoirs and small manmade lakes. The study of the
environment around these lakes are
vital since these smaller lakes are
more susceptible to human impact
(Araoye, 2002; Akin-Oriola, 2003).
Materials and Methods

Collection of soil samples.

Twenty soil samples were randomly
collected using the methods described
by Mendham et al., (2004) around the
lakes. Samples were collected at
depths of 0-10 cm into clean labelled
cellophane bags using a disinfected
hand trowel. Approximately 100.0g
was taken from specified sampling
points. The individual samples were
carefully labelled, stored in a big
plastic container and transported to the
laboratory.
Samples
for
physicochemical analysis were air
dried for a period of five days to
remove excess moisture.
Physicochemical studies of the soil
samples.
Particle size analysis was determined
bythe method described by Agbenin
(1995). Percentage silt, clay and sand
were calculated using the formula
%(Silt + Clay) = { H 1 + 0.3 (T1 T)
2.0} 100/50
% Clay = { H2 + 0.3 (T2 T) 2.0}
100/50
% Sand = 100 % (Silt + Clay).
Where H1 and H2 are the hydrometer
readings and T1 and T2 are the
temperature at 40 seconds and 2h
respectively.
T is the calibration
temperature of the hydrometer.
The pH of the soil samples in water
and salt respectively were determined
with the pH meter (Jenway HANNA
1910) as described by Nayek et al.,
(1996).
The methods described by Agbenin
(1995) was used for determination of
organic carbon ,percentage organic
matter, total phosphate and available
sulphate in soil.
Microbiological study of soil samples
Determination of total aerobic
mesophilic bacteria in soil samples
Serial tenfold dilutions of the soils
samples was done using 0.85% (w/v)
sterile sodium chloride (NaCl) solution
as dilution blanks with vigorous
agitation (APHA, 1985). A 0.1ml

aliquot of the appropriate dilution was

spread plated in duplicates on surfaces
of nutrient agar plates (Oxoid). The
plates were incubated aerobically at
room temperature (28 2 C ) for
between 48 and 96h. The colonies that
developed on the plates were counted
(Chikere and Chijioke Osuji, 2006).
Following incubation, the colonies that
developed were selected based on
colonial characteristics and streaked
for purity on nutrient agar plates. They
were then transferred into nutrient agar
slants in Bijoux bottles and then stored
for further study at 4 C.
Isolation and identification of fungal
isolates from soil samples
A 0.1ml aliquots of the appropriate
diluted samples was inoculated on
Sabouraud dextrose agar plates
(Oxoid) fortified with (50 mg/l)
chroramphenicol
(Ezeronye
and
Amogu, 1998) to suppress bacterial
growth. The plates were incubated at
room temperature (28 2C) for 4-7
days. The total fungal count was done
after 3 days of incubation (Erah et al.,
2002). A portion of each colony type
that grew on the various plates were
picked using a sterile inoculation
needle and aseptically subcultured onto
fresh SDA plates. The purified fungal
isolates were further transferred onto
SDA slants and kept as stock cultures
for identification. The identification
of fungal isolates was based on their
cultural
and
morphological
characteristics. The macrosopic and
microscopic features of the typical
mass, morphology of the cells, nature
of the fruiting bodies were used as
basis for identification (Barnet and
Hunter 2000; Singh et al., 1999;
Larone, 1976).
Results
Out of twenty soil samples examined,
13 (65%) were dark brown in colour,
3(15%) were reddish black, 2 (10%)
were black and 2 (10%) of the samples
were light brown. The soils adjoining

the lakes were mostly dark brown in

colour.The textural classes of the soil
were sandy clay loam(SCL) 9(45%),
sandy loam (SL) 7(35%) and loamy
sand(LS) 4 (20%). The soils had higher
percentage of sand followed by silt and
then clay (sand > silt > clay). The sand
percentage ranged from 65 to 83 %
while the silt ranged from 8.6 to 25.6%
. The percentage clay was higher than
silt only at two sampling points M and
Q while the silt and the clay percentage
were the same at sampling point F .
The two sites where the soils were
light brown had sand percentages of
80% and 81% respectively. The sand
percentage of the dark brown samples
ranged from 11.6% to 25.6% for the
soil samples. The clay content ranged
from 7.4% to 14.4%. The highest silt
content of 14.4% was observed in a
dark brown soil sample (Table 1).
The pH in water of the soil samples
ranged from 6.95 to 7.47. Two of the
light brown soil samples had pH of
6.95 and 6.96 respectively which
suggests that the soils have a near
neutral pH. Eighteen (90%) of the soil
samples had pH that is slightly above
7.0 (range 7.02 to 7.47) .The pH in salt
of the soils ranged from 6.86 to 7.47.
Nine (45%) of the soil samples had a
pH below 7.0, these soils had a pH
range from 6.8 to 6.98 in salt while
11(55%) of the soils had a pH in water
that is slightly above 7.0 (Table 1).The
organic carbon of the soil samples
ranged from 1.37 to 3.1%.Ten (50%)
of the soil samples had an organic
matter percentage above 2 while the
remaining 10(50%) had percentage
organic matter below 2 (Table 2).The
percentage organic matter content of
soils ranged from 2.02% to 5.3%. Dark
brown samples had higher organic
matter compared to other soils (Table
2). The phosphate content of the soil
samples ranged from 0.005mg/l to
0.390mg/l. Fifteen (75%) of the soil
samples examined had a phosphate

level of 0.200mg and above (Table 2).

The sulphate content of the soils range
from 2.30mg/g to 3.65mg/g of soil.
Twelve (60%) had a sulphate content
above 3.00mg/g (Table 2). The aerobic
mesophilic bacterial count for the soil
samples was done for only once for dry
and rainy season. The bacterial count
of soils at the various sampling points
ranged from 1.18- 1.26 107cfu/g for
the dry season months while it ranged
from 1.51 1.80 107 cfu/g in the
rainy season months (Table 3). The
total fungal counts from soils adjoining
the man-made lakes ranged from 1.121.23 103cfu/g in the dry season while
it ranged from 1.32 1.45 103cfu/g in
the rainy season (Table 4). The
predominant fungi isolated from soils
adjoining the lakes were Microsporium
audounii, Aspergillus flavus, Fusarium
species, Penicillium species and
Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus
glaucaus.
Discussion
The soils adjoining the lakes were
generally shallow, stony and rich in
organic materials. The colour of the
soils varied from, black, dark brown,
reddish black, and light brown black;
these colours are likely to be as a result
of water logging. Earlier researchers
have reported that water logging or
excess moisture tends to impart dark
brown to dark grayish brown colour to
soils (Isaka et al., 1996; Arotupin and
Akinyosoye, 2003). The textural class
of the soils varies from sandy clay
loam, sandy loam and loamy sand. The
composition of the soil show high
composition of sand followed by slit,
then clay (sand>silt>clay). The
composition of the soils varied at
various sampling points. This variation
in texture could be partially due to
seasonal deposition in addition to
microbial and human activities around
the soils. The results obtained from the
physicochemical analysis indicate that
the soils are weakly acidic to neutral

with a pH in water range of 6.95 to

7.47 and pH in salt range of 6.80 to
7.47. This trend may not be

unconnected with the nature of the soil

and occasional washing away of
exchangeable bases down the soils.

Table 1: Texture, pH and Particle Size Analysis of the Soils Around the Man-made
lakes.
Sample Site
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T

Colour
Reddish black
Dark brown
Dark brown
Dark brown
Light brown
Dark brown
Dark brown
Dark brown
Black
Reddish black
Reddish black
Dark brown
Light brown
Dark brown
Dark brown
Black
Dark brown
Dark brown
Dark brown
Dark brown

pHw
(1:2.5)
7.14
7.06
7.47
7.14
6.95
7.38
7.29
7.02
7.27
7.01
7.11
7.32
6.96
7.46
7.15
7.24
7.41
7.45
7.40
7.31

pH (Cacl2)
6.98
7.28
7.47
6.89
6.83
7.21
7.13
7.27
6.86
6.80
6.86
7.21
6.84
7.46
6.90
6.80
7.41
7.46
7.50
7.31

Sand
%
65
67
70
70
81
83
71
73
76
81
71
69
80
68
71
75
71
69
71
68

Silt
%
23.60
25.60
19.60
15.60
9.60
8.60
15.60
14.60
11.60
11.60
22.60
21.20
9.50
24.20
14.90
12.10
21.00
20.80
21.20
22.60

Clay
%
11.40
7.40
10.40
14.40
9.40
8.60
13.40
12.40
12.40
7.40
7.40
9.80
10.50
7.80
14.10
12.90
8.00
10.20
7.80
9.40

Textural Class
Scl
Scl
Sc
Sl
Ls
Ls
Sl
Sl
Sl
Sl
Sl
Scl
Scl
Ls
Scl
Sl
Ls
Scl
Scl
Scl

SL= Sandy Loam, Ls= Loamy Sand, Scl= Sandy Clay Loam

Table 2: Percentages Organic Carbon, Percentage Organic Matter, Phosphate and

Sulphate Content of the Soils.

Sample Site
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T

% organic carbon
1.37
1.92
2.45
1.97
2.40
2.08
2.56
2.82
1.17
1.70
1.91
2.30
2.45
1.94
1.97
2.80
3.10
1.42
1.96
2.28

% Organic matter
2.36
3.31
4.22
3.40
4.14
3.59
4.41
4.86
2.02
2.93
3.30
3.97
4.23
3.35
3.40
4.80
5.30
2.45
3.38
3.94

Phosphate (mg/l)
0.28
0.20
0.40
0.34
0.21
0.10
0.17
0.35
0.01
0.24
0.38
0.24
0.21
0.21
0.19
0.17
0.24
0.38
0.29
0.20

Sulphate (mg/l)
3.12
2.31
3.26
3.65
3.40
2.30
2.69
2.74
3.48
3.55
3.24
3.42
3.30
2.45
2.72
2.72
2.42
3.18
3.22
3.08

Table 3: Total Aerobic Mesophilic Bacterial Count for Dry and Rainy seasons in soils
adjoining the man-made lakes.
Sample Site

Dry season
cfu/g X 10

Log10cfu/g

Rainy season
cfu/g X 107
log10cfu/g

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q

1.25
1.2
1.22
1.21
1.22
1.2
1.18
1.2
1.24
1.22
1.21
1.26
1.23
1.21
1.22
1.19
1.2

7.0969
7.0791
7.0863
7.0827
7.0863
7.0791
7.0718
7.0791
7.0934
7.0863
7.0827
7.1003
7.0899
7.0827
7.0863
7.0755
7.0791

1.8
1.6
1.62
1.63
1.52
1.48
1.5
1.55
1.61
1.62
1.7
1.9
1.64
1.58
1.49
1.58
1.62

7.2552
7.2041
7.2095
7.212
7.1818
7.1702
7.176
7.1903
7.2068
7.2095
7.2304
7.2787
7.2148
7.1986
7.1731
7.1986
7.2095

R
S
T

1.22
1.18
1.19

7.0863
7.0718
7.0755

1.71
1.51
1.72

7.2329
7.1789
7.2355

Table 4: Total Fungal Counts from soils adjoining the man-made lakes
Sample Site

Dry season
cfu/g X 105

Log10cfu/g

Rainy season
cfu/g X 105
log10cfu/g

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q

1.23
1.18
1.19
1.15
1.2
1.19
1.14
1.13
1.12
1.16
1.17
1.19
1.17
1.14
1.13
1.14
1.15

3.0899
3.0718
3.0755
3.0606
3.0791
3.0755
3.0569
3.053
3.0492
3.0644
3.0681
3.0755
3.0681
3.0569
3.053
3.0569
3.0606

1.4
1.45
1.41
1.35
1.36
1.32
1.4
1.38
1.36
1.37
1.35
1.35
1.36
1.34
1.35
1.32
1.33

3.1461
3.1613
3.1492
3.1303
3.1335
3.1205
3.1461

R
S
T

1.16
1.17
1.17

3.0644
3.0681
3.0681

1.35
1.36
1.38

3.1303
3.1335
3.1398

The range of pH observed in this study

encouraged plant growth and makes
the soil ideal for agricultural purposes
since most plants thrive in a pH range
of 7.0 8.0. This near neutrality of the
soil enhances the availability of both
macro- and micronutrients. The
presence of sulphate helps in the
recovery by soils and also enhances the
yield ability of plants. The pH of the
soils may also be an indication that the
soil contains considerable amount of
reserve acidity and is rich in nutrient
content. This also suggests that the soil
was not receiving other effluent except
the manual quarrying waste. The pH
values observed in this study are not
similar to that reported by Chikere and
Chijioke-Osuji (2006) who studied
soils polluted by crude oil. Organic
carbon status of the soil ranges from
1.17 to 2.82% indicating that the soils
are very fertile. Similar results were
reported by Okumasi (1996) who
reported high organic carbon status.
The sulphate content of the soils
ranged from 2.30 3.65%. The high

3.1398
3.1335
3.1367
3.1303
3.1303
3.1335
3.1271
3.1303
3.1205
3.1238

level of carbon results in abundance of

microorganisms in the soil since most
microorganisms required carbon for
multiplication and life maintenance.
Microorganisms are also important in
the breakdown of organic matter. The
high amount of microflora helps in
hastening
the
process
of
biodegradation of organic matter. The
fungal isolates are members of the
genera,
Aspergillus,
Fusarium,
Penicillium and Rhizopus. The
microbial isolates from the wetland
under study compared favorably with
isolates obtained from wetland soils of
Ikot-ekpene (Udotong and Akpanekon,
2007). These organisms have also been
isolated from normal agricultural soils
within the Niger Delta region of
Nigeria (Udotong and Akpanekon,
2007).Microorganisms
degrade
pesticides and produce substances
during organic matter decomposition
that chemically and physically bind
soil particles into micro aggregates
(Young and Crawford, 2007). The
presence of microorganisms in the soil

enhances the self-purification of the

ecosystem because they are capable of
gradually
detoxifying
potentially
hazardous chemicals and wastes
through the process of biodegradation.
This study provides baseline data on
the
physicochemical
and
microbiological quality of these soils
surrounding these man-made lakes in a
tribute mining community and
suggests that these soils can support
sustainable agriculture.
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