Effects of Hair Dressing Salon Wastewater on the Physicochemical and Bacteriological Properties of Soil in Awka Metropolis, Nigeria

Wastewater refers to a combination of one or more domestic effluents or liquid effluents from commercial establishments. The ubiquity of microorganisms makes it easier for them to thrive in different habitats of which wastewater from hair dressing salon is not exempted. This work was aimed at determining the effects of hair dressing salon wastewater on the physicochemical and bacteriological properties of soil in Awka, Nigeria. Twenty different hair salon wastewater samples and pristine soil samples were collected from different locations in Awka metropolis. The soil was treated with the different wastewater samples daily for 7 days and analysed for its physicochemical and bacteriological properties. From the result, it was observed that the wastewater has a pH range of 6.20 to 9.60, conductivity range of 49.90 to 532.90, percentage total solid range of 0.19 to 9.32, percentage total carbon range of 0.06 to 1.90, percentage nitrogen of 0.41 to 0.85, chemical oxygen demand range of 97 to 197, biological oxygen demand range of 40.70 to 75.80, total phosphate range of 10 to 34 and total potassium range of 0.01 to 1.41. It was also observed that there was a significant decrease in all the physicochemical parameters of the soil upon treatment with the wastewater. The mean heterotrophic bacterial count of the wastewater was between 1.8 x 105 and 5.6 x 105 while that of pristine soil was 7.7 x 106 and wastewater treated soil was 2.1 x 104 to 7.2 x 104. The significant decrease in the microbial population on the wastewater treated soil could be attributed to the presence of many chemicals like chlorine in the wastewater which has adverse effect on the soil microbiota. The findings from this study proved that salon effluents can be a potential public and environmental health hazard. There is need for proper treatment of wastewater before disposal into the soil.