Isolation, Identification and Characterization of Fungi from Bathroom Sludge Effluents

Bathroom effluents which not channeled to a soak away pit comes out as bathroom sludge. These effluents when inhaled or in contact with humans can cause infection and disease. Fungi are one of the most ubiquitous organisms found in bathroom, bathroom floor and bathroom sludge effluents. Effluents on bathroom floor are washed off from condict pipes and come out as bathroom sludge. The identification and isolation of fungi isolated from bathrooms sludge from Enugu State University of Science and Technology female hostels was studied using standard methods. The organism was cultured using potato dextrose agar and the antibiotics chrolifinical was added to the agar medium to inhibit the growth of bacteria and support the growth of fungi. The Pd agar was used to isolate a pure culture of fungi. The fungi were further identified morphologically and microscopically using a fungi atlas as a guide. The identified organisms were Candida albicans, Aspergillus nidulans Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus and Mucor mucedo. The germ test tube was further conducted on C.albicans to differentiate it from other species of Candidiasis and a positive C.albicans was confirmed. The proliferation rate of these organisms was observed and recorded in day 4 and day 7 respectively. M.mucedo has growth rate of + in 4 days and still maintained + in 7 days. All other identified fungi had ++ in day four and ++++ growth rate in day seven, suggesting that the more these organisms are exposed to the environment, they proliferates quickly and cause diseases. These research shows that bathroom sludge effluents are inhibitors of fungi and these effluents when inhaled or exposed to the environment in contact with humans can cause disease and infection and should be channeled to a waste water pit rather than exposed to the environment. Modern building structure should channel this bathroom sludge to a soak away pit rather than channel it to the environment. Cleaning of bathroom with detergent and disinfectant should be encouraged, although it only reduces the microbial load of the fungi but does not eliminate totally.