This study investigates the impact of sand dredging activities on coastal ecosystem and community survival around Ibeshe area of the Lagos Lagoon, Nigeria. Surface water and bottom sediment samples were collected from locations partitioned into Dredged Area (DA) and Undredged Area (UA) in the lagoon for laboratory analyses. Questionnaires were administered to community dwellers and sand miners to further analyze perception of locals. Significant differences in water quality parameters and sediments properties from Dredged and Undredged areas, and highly significant relationship between sand dredging and unsustainable ecological practices in Ibeshe were observed. One way ANOVA test indicates that all water quality parameters measured with exception of turbidity and nitrate concentration were not significantly different (P > 0.05) between Dredged and Undredged area. With exception of moisture content other sediment parameters measured were not significantly different (P > 0.05) between Dredged and Undredged areas. The project also determined the impact of dredging activities on the fisheries and fishing business in the environment. Turbidity values revealed that fishes will be negatively affected due to dredging activities; moreover dwellers pay little or no attention to conservation of the area due to unawareness. Sand dredging operations negatively influence ecological resources and water composition of the area. This project is designed to randomly sample the opinion of sand mining operators and residents; and questionnaires were administered to obtain data. Strict regulation and enforcement will assist to control ecological destruction and solve problems facing the lagoon environment.
The aquatic ecosystem is constantly being disturbed by rising levels of different classes of pollutants of human origin in the form of urban, agricultural and industrial discharges. In this study, the health of fish Malapterurus electricus was examined, to serve as a reflection of the impact of anthropogenic disturbances in the Lekki lagoon. Eighty six samples of the fish were analysed for parasitic infections, heavy metals, microorganisms in their internal and external body parts while the proximate composition and fish condition factor were also determined using conventional methods. One parasite species, a cestode Electrotaenia malapteruri was found to infect the fish. Total parasite load was eighty five with a total prevalence of infection of 36%. Elements detected in sediment were of the order of Al>Fe>Mn>Pb>Cr>Zn>Cd>Ba>Cu>Ni while in water, it is Mn>Fe>Zn>Ba>Cd>Cr>Al>Cu>Ni>Pb. Metals analysed in the fish tissues were generally low and below regulatory limits. In the proximate analysis, moisture content has a value of 80.7%, while ash content had a value of 1.26%. Eight bacterial and two fungal species were isolated from the fish. The condition factor of fish varied between 1 and 2. The study provides valuable information for monitoring and management of heavy metal pollution in the aquatic ecosystem.
The exponential rise in the Nigerian population has necessitated the use of agrochemicals for enhanced agricultural yields to meet the ever-rising demand for food. However, agrochemicals such as organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) have caused several devastating health and ecological challenges. The study was therefore aimed at assessing the bioaccumulation of OCPs and the associated parasitological and microbial susceptibility in P. obscura to determine the possible ecological impacts of the chemical. A total of 106 specimens of Parachanna obscura fish species were sampled between July and November 2019 from Lekki Lagoon in Lagos, Nigeria. Four culture media, namely nutrient agar (NA), MacConkay agar (MCA), eosin methylene blue (EMB), and sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA) were employed in microbial culture. These microbes were subjected to ceftazidime, ceftriaxone, cefuroxime, gentamicin, ofloxacin, augmentin, nitrofurantoin, ciprofloxacin, and erythromycin to test for resistance, susceptibility and intermediate statuses before and after curing. OCPs were tested in the water, sediment, and tissues of P. obscura using gas chromatography flame ionization detector (GC-FID). P. obscura sampled in the lagoon had poor growth exponent which was characterized by negative allometry (slenderness) in the sampled fish. Although the incidence of parasitic infection in the fish was not alarming, the situation might be aggravated if the prevalent anthropogenic activities persist, resulting in immunosuppression. Regulation of anthropogenic activities in the catchment area is recommended to forestall the prognosis of health and environmental hazards associated with the agricultural, industrial, pharmaceutical, and municipal activities around the lagoon. Bacteria that conferred the most resistance to the majority of the antibiotics were Staphylococcus sp., Micrococcus sp. Escherichia coli and Klebsiella sp., testing positive to plasmid profile. They conferred high resistance to the antibiotics before plasmid curing but became highly susceptible post- plasmid curing. This implies that the gene for resistance in the bacteria isolates was plasmid-mediated, that is, they were obtained from the environment. In the event of an outbreak of waterborne diseases such as cholera, typhoid, dysentery, and diarrhea, there may be non-response to treatment among the infected inhabitants. The incidence of antibiotic resistance in bacteria colonies recorded in this study is of great public health concern, given the possibility of the antibiotic-resistant bacteria strains being passed to humans through fish consumption, resulting in increased multi-drug resistance in humans. Regulation of anthropogenic activities around the lagoon is recommended to forestall prognosis of health and environmental hazards associated with OCPs from agricultural, industrial, pharmaceutical, and municipal sources.
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