Surfactants are a surface-active group of molecular compounds with hydrophobic and hydrophilic moieties in one single molecule that distributes themselves between two immiscible fluids, reduce surface/ interfacial tensions and cause the solubility of non-polar compounds in polar solvents. Besides surface and interfacial activities, they display properties such as solubilization, detergency, lubrication, emulsification, stabilization and foaming capacity. Microbiologically derived surfactants are called biosurfactants. They are produced as either metabolic products or as the surface chemistry of an actual cell. The employment of screening techniques such as surface tension measurements, drop collapse test, oil spreading assay, emulsification index (%EI24), cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)/methylene blue agar plate test and strain characterization. Others are analytical techniques including liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy, thin layer chromatography, high-performance liquid chromatography, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, fast atom bombardment-mass spectrometry and electrospray Fenibo et al.; JAMB, 18(3): 1-22, 2019; Article no.JAMB.51198 2 ionization-mass spectrometry. These have led to the identification of biosurfactant producing microorganisms, properties and characterization of biosurfactants. Therefore, this review tends to provide the current knowledge of the screening techniques and chromatography/spectroscopic tools employed to study biosurfactants. Results from a detailed study of these tools can unveil new surfactant producing microorganism, decipher chemical diversity and multifunctional properties of biosurfactants critical for applications in diverse industrial sectors. Review Article

Beauty salons may provide a suitable medium for the growth and transfer of pathogenic microorganisms which may be of public health significance. This study was aimed at investigating the microbial contamination of beauty salon tools within the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. Nutrient agar was used for the determination of total culturable heterotrophic bacterial counts and Potato dextrose agar was used for the determination of total spore counts. Bacterial isolates were subjected to different biochemical tests while the fungal cultures were identified by macroscopy and microscopy. Results revealed bacterial load obtained from combs and brushes across the three campuses studied ranged from 6.3x105 to 2.8x106 CFU/swab area and 5.8x105 to 1.8x106 CFU/swab area respectively. Total spore counts obtained from combs and brushes across the three campuses ranged from1.8x105 to 1.0x106 CFU/swab area and 4.2x105 to 9.3x105CFU/swab area respectively. The bacterial isolates obtained from the salon tools include Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus spp., Micrococcus spp.,Serratia spp.,Citrobacter spp., Proteus spp. and Shigella spp., while the fungal isolates include Aspergillus flavus, Penicillium spp., Tricophyton spp. and Microsporium spp. Staphylococcus aureus (27.7%) and Bacillus spp.(22.2%) were the predominant bacterial isolates in the study while Aspergillus flavus (36.3%) and Penicillium spp.(27.3%) were the most occurring fungi. The study showed that fomites used in beauty salons harbour significantly high microbial load including microorganisms of possible public health significance.

Assessment of the levels of copper, zinc and lead in soils and vegetation around solid waste dumpsites in Port Harcourt and environs were carried out in 2005 using Atomic Absorption spectrophotometric technique. Physical parameters such as pH and particle size were also determined. The results show that the mean concentrations of copper in transect and profile soils and vegetation were 1.20 ± 0.83ppm, 2.57 ± 1.87ppm, 1.48 ± 1.61ppm respectively at the East -West road dumpsite and 2.42 ± 1.87ppm, 1.40 ± 0.61ppm, 1.39 ± 0.67ppm respectively at the Kaduna/Afam street dumpsite. The mean concentrations of zinc in soil and vegetations along the transect were 12.83 ± 4.65ppm, 2.68 ± 1.82ppm, 1.33 ± 0.64ppm, 0.80 ± 0.60ppm respectively at the Kaduna/Afam street dumpsite. The mean concentrations of lead in soils and vegetation were 0.26 ± 0.21ppm, 0.28 ± 0.24ppm, 1.48 ± 0.12ppm respectively at the East -West road dumpsite and 0.45 ± 0.37ppm, 0.20 ± 0.08ppm, 0.39 ± 0.17ppm respectively at the Kaduna/Afam street dumpsite. The order of occurrence of the heavy metals in the topsoils of the study areas was Zn > Cu > Pb. The levels of copper and zinc in soils from the waste dumpsite were significantly different (P <0.05) from soil sample elsewhere. The differences in the levels of copper, zinc and lead in soils and vegetations as well as dumpsite and outside dumpsite were not significant (P <0.05). The results indicate that solid wastes contributed to the levels of heavy metals in soils and vegetation. Also the concentrations of the metals in soils do not depend on the age of the waste dump rather, on the source, composition and the topography of the dumpsite. @ JASEM

ABSTRACT:The study was aimed at determining the prevalence of intestinal amoebiasis in infant and junior school children in Degema General Hospital and its environs.405 stool samples were collected from children within the age group of 1-14 years who attended the Degema General Hospital and three communities of Ileleme, Okpor nd Usokun-Degema. The samples were examined for Entamoeba Histolytica cysts and/or trophozoites. The direct wet preparation and Formol Ether concentration techniques were employed. Forty three (11%) of the samples were found to be positive for the parasite. Children within the age category of 6-10 yrs had the highest rate of infection. Females (12.3%) were more infected than males (8.8%) proportionately. In conclusion, the prevalence rates of intestinal amoebiasis among these patients were 11%. Improved sanitation, personal hygiene and deliberate policy by government for rural community health concern will indeed prevent faecal contamination of food and water sources. @ JASEM

The most common approaches for the in-situ bioremediation of contaminated sites worldwide are bioaugmentation and biostimulation. Biostimulation has often proved more effective for chronically contaminated sites. This study examined the effectiveness of optimized water hyacinth compost in comparison with other organic and inorganic amendments for the remediation of crude oil-polluted soils. Water hyacinth was found to be rich in nutrients necessary to stimulate microbial growth and activity. An organic geochemical analysis revealed that all amendments in this study increased total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) biodegradation by ≥75% within 56 days, with the greatest biodegradation (93%) occurring in sterilized soil inoculated with optimized water hyacinth compost. This was followed by polluted soil amended with a combination of spent mushroom and water hyacinth composts (SMC + WH), which recorded a TPH biodegradation of 89%. Soil amendment using the inorganic fertilizer NPK (20:10:10) resulted in 86% TPH biodegradation. On the other hand, control samples (natural attenuation) recorded only 4% degradation. A molecular analysis of residual polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) showed that the 16 PAHs designated by the US EPA as priority pollutants were either completely or highly degraded in the combined treatment (SMC + WH), indicating the potential of this amendment for the environmental remediation of soils contaminated with recalcitrant organic pollutants.