Abstract

A. Osho*, O. O. Mabekoje and O. O. Bello

Effluent samples from two top Nigerian food and beverage industries, swords food industry and 7-Up Bottling Company, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria were investigated for microbial loads, physiochemical properties and presence of heavy metals. While repeated sampling revealed two bacteria and a fungus from the effluents of 7-Up bottling company, 15 bacteria and 5 fungi were isolated from Swords foods Industry. The biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) were equally higher in the effluent of sword food industry than that of 7-Up bottling company. Heavy metals analyses revealed Lead (4.83 and 6.75 mgl-1 ) Copper (3.80 and 3.93 mgl-1 ), Iron (3.10 and 3.45 mgl-1 ), Cadmium (7.20 and 8.10 mgl-1 ) and magnesium (5.68 and 9.38 mgl-1 ) in sword food industry while Lead (0.12 and 0.14 mgl-1 ), copper (1.20 and 1.22 mgl-1 ), iron (1.60 and 1.63 mgl-1 ), cadmium (0.10 and 0.09 mgl-1 ) and magnesium (1.10 and 1.20 mgl-1 ) were the concentrations in 7-Up bottling company. The conclusion was that, there is a high probability of polluting the environment by sword food industry as a result of discharge of untreated wastewater into the water body or soil that may lead to death of crops or reduction in crops yield, contamination of drinking water supplies and/or accumulation and dissemination of toxic chemicals that may further endanger ecosystems and threaten public health.