| Popis: |
Understanding the components of pharmaceutical wastewaters and their potential risk as sources of pollution when discharged into the environment is imminent for environmental and public health significance. This study was aimed at evaluating untreated wastewaters from pharmaceutical industries in Nigeria. Results obtained showed that the colors of the wastewaters were mostly turbid, few in brown and only one colorless sample; revealed high turbidity (16 - 999 NTU). The pH ranged from 2.9 to 9.2, whereas phosphate and nitrate levels were between the ranges of 0.0122-15.66 mg/L and 0.18-87.02 mg/L respectively. Heavy metal analysis showed high levels of iron at 53.53 mg/L and 25.6 mg/L, with chromium at 7.190 mg/L. The BOD and COD were high for most of the wastewaters. Bacteria isolates were detected in all samples with population ranging from 3.0 x 104 cfu/mL to 2.7 x 1012 cfu/mL, while fungi was averaged at 7.0 x 105 cfu/mL and total coliform was between 2.6 x 102 to 2.7 x 107 cfu/mL. Although total susceptibility to gentamicin and sulphamethozazole/trimethoprin was observed in isolates from two industries, there was an obviously high (20 - 100%) drug resistance among the bacteria tested. The most frequently resisted drugs were ampicillin, sulphamethozazole/trimethoprin, cefuroxime, augumentin and clindamycin at values of 90.6%, 89.3%, 85,9%, 85.9% and 83.9% respectively; while nitrofurantoin (36.9%) and chloramphenicol (32.2%) were the least resisted drugs. The discharge of wastewaters without adequate treatment into aquatic environments could result in severe pollution, hence the need for proper treatment to protect the ecosystem and public health is necessary |
