Assessment of Physico-chemical Parameters of Soils in Fallowing Farmlands and Pit Toilet Environments as it Affects the Abundance of Geohelminthes in Emohua Local Government Area, Rivers State, Nigeria

Background: This study was conducted to determine the effects of physico-chemical parameters of soils in environments used for open defecation on the abundance of geohelminths in Emohua, Rivers State, South South, Nigeria.

Methods: A total of 720 soil samples were collected randomly from soils found in fallowing farmlands used for open defaecation and around pit toilet environments in Mgbuitanwo, Isiodu, and Rumuche Communities in Emohua local Government Area of Rivers State. Two hundred and forty samples were collected randomly from each of the communities between the months of January- June 2013 and 2014 respectively. The samples were analysed for temperature, pH, and organic content and Centrifugal flotation method was used to examine the samples for geohelminths.

Results: Evaluation after two variations gave an average of 198(55%) of the soil samples as positive for geohelminths as follows; 16(4.4%), 131(36.3%) and 51(14.1%) for clayey, loamy and sandy soils respectively. This was statistically significant (p<.05). Results also showed soil temperature mean 27.2°C ± 5.2 S.D, soil pH mean 6.3 ± 2.5 S.D and soil organic matter mean 12.7% ± 3.6 S.D, clay soil mean 16 ± 4 S.D, loam soil mean 115.5 ± 10.7 S.D and sandy soil mean 47.5 ± 6.9. The geohelminths recovered from the samples were 293 as follows; Clayey: 25(8.5%), Loamy: 189(64.5%) and Sandy: 76(26%). Ascaris lumbricoides 92(31.4%), Trichurisspp. 55(19.5%), Ancylostoma duodenale 38(12.9%), Strongyloidies spp. 12(4%), Entrobius spp. 10(3.4%), Trichostrongylus spp. 5(1.6%), Schistosoma mansoni 2(0.6%), Meloidogyne spp. 48(16.4%), Radopholus spp. 1(0.3%), Aphelencoidies spp. 1(0.3%), Bayliascaris spp. 5(1.7%), Toxocara spp. 21(7.2%) and Ancylostomacanis 2(0.6%).

Conclusion: Due to the presence of human, plant and animal infecting geohelminths in the area, the Government should reintroduce sanitary inspection of our environments to check the indiscriminate and unhygienic disposal of human waste.