Effects of cassava mill effluent on some chemical and micro-biological properties of soils in Cross River State, Nigeria

Abstract

The paper examines the effects of cassava mill effluent on the Physicochemical and biological properties of soils of Obubra and Odukpani Local Areas in Cross River State after long time of pollution by the effluent. The soil samples were collected with an auger at the depths of 0-15cm and 15-30cm in each of the polluted and non-polluted soils. The results showed that the texture of the soil ranged from sandy to loamy sand in polluted soils and sandy loam in non-polluted soils. The pH ranged from 5.1 to 6.6 and organic carbon from 0.86 to 1.69% in polluted soils. The
total nitrogen content ranged from 0.08 to 0.53% while the CEC was low in polluted soils and ranged from 2.50 to 5.50 cmol kg-1. Calcium and Sodium ranged from 1.80 to 3.00 cmolkg-1 and 0.05 to 0.12 cmolkg-1 respectively. The bacteria and fungi isolated in the polluted soils of Obubra and Odukpani were Lactococcus lactic, Bacillus subtilis, Lactobacillus lactis, Aspergillius Niger and rhizopus spp,.Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Penicullum spp. were only isolated in non-polluted and polluted soils of Odukpani. The cassava effluent increased pH, N, organic carbon,
exchangeable acidity, microorganisms and decreased CEC, available P, Mg and K.