Effect of cassava mill effluent on soil microbial diversity in Akpabuyo local government area of cross river state, Nigeria

The effects of cassava mill effluents on soil microbial diversity in Akpabuyo Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria was studied using cultured-depended and standard microbiological methods. Soil samples were collected from site polluted with cassava mill effluents, control sample from another site that was not polluted with cassava mill effluent was also collected. Standard microbiological methods were used in the isolation, and enumerating the population of the microorganisms. The bacteria isolated were Bacillus sp. 6(42.8%), Pseudomonas sp. 2(14.29%), Proteus sp. 2(14.29%), Escherichia coli 1(7.1%), Enterobacter sp. 1(7.1%) and Klebsiella sp. 1 (7.1%). while the fungi isolates were Penicillium sp. 3(42.9%), Aspergillus sp. 2(28.6%), Mucor sp. 1(14.3%) and Rhizopus sp. 1(14.3%). The mean heterotrophic bacteria and fungi counts for the cassava mill effluent contaminated soil were 7.4 ± 0.4 x 106 cfu/g and 3.3 ± 0.1 x 106 cfu/g while the mean heterotrophic bacteria and fungi counts for the control were 4.2 ± 0.2 x 106 cfu/g and 2.9 ± 0.1 x 106 cfu/g respectively. Necessary environmental legislation should be put in place to safeguard microorganisms in their natural habitat for biotechnological uses.