Microorganisms Associated with Corrosion of Water Pipelines in Minna, Niger State

Abstract

Micro organisms associated with corrosion of water pipelines in Barkin-Sale, Bosso, Chanchaga, Keteren-Gwari, Maikunkele and Kwangila areas of Minna metropolis in Niger State of Nigeria were isolated. Corroded water pipes and soil samples were analysed for microbiological and  physicochemical properties between the months of February and July, 2008. Bacteria isolated were Desulfovibrio desulfuricans,  Desulfotomaculum nigrificans, Thiobacillus thiooxidans, Lactobacillus
lactis, Clostridium perfringens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Bacillus cereus var mycoides, B. subtilis, B. cereus and Staphylococcus aureus while fungi isolated were Aspergillus niger, A. fumigatus, Penicillium notatum, Candida tropicalis, Mucor mucedo, Torulopsis candida, Geotrichum candidum and Fusarium solani The bacterium most frequently isolated was
D. desulfuricans (56.67%) while the fungus with the highest occurrence was A. niger (25.00%). The mean total aerobic bacterial counts ranged from 3.50x103cfu/g to 7.16x104cfu/g, mean total anaerobic bacterial counts ranged from 5.59x104cfu/g to 7.69x106cfu/g and the mean total fungal count ranged from 3.0x103 cfu/g to 5.63x105cfu/g. From the data, there were significant differences (p<0.05) between the mean total aerobic bacterial counts, anaerobic bacterial counts and fungal counts in the various locations.

Key Words: Microorganisms, water pipes, corrosion, soil samples, microbiological and physicochemical properties