Abstract. This study evaluated the effects of gas flaring on the physico-chemical and microbiological characteristics of water sources at Egbema, Imo State, Nigeria. Surface and ground water samples from the area were compared with samples from Ihiagwa Autonomous Community in Owerri West, a non-gas flared community. Both water sources were then compared with WHO standards for drinking water. The results revealed that water sources from the gas flared area have high levels of temperature, total chlorine, nitrate, nitrites, sulphates, calcium, and zinc, chromium with a very acidic pH when compared with water from non-gas flared sources. Also, microbial load increased the farther the distance from the flare site. The human health imparts of the presence of heavy metals and microorganisms in drinking water had been reported. In conclusion, gas flaring can pollute water sources within oil and gas facilities, thereby making them unsuitable for human consumption. Oil and gas industries should therefore treat water within their areas of operations before discharged into water bodies in addition to other remediation measures as part of their social responsibility.

This study aimed at the simultaneous treatment of wastewater obtained from swine and generation of bioenergy in form of electricity from the energy stored in the organic component of the wastewater. The Open circuit voltage, current, power density and microbiological and physicochemical parameters were monitored. An initial Open circuit voltage of 516mV, Current of 0.29mA, and Power density of 32.74mW/m2were recorded, which increased to give maximum Open Circuit Voltages of 836mV, Current of 0.49mA, and Power density of 88.45mW/m2. The results revealed that The Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Organic carbon, Total Soluble solids (TSS), Ammonia, Ammonium and Ammonium-Nitrogen all showed percentage decrease of 85.92%, 51.74%, 78.16%, 98.87%, 55.87%, 55.79% and 55.90% respectively while parameters such as Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Nitrate, Nitrate-Nitrogen, Phosphates, Phosphorus and Orthophosphates however increased after treatment to give a percentage increase of -273.60%, -131.65%, -134.85%, -168.77%, -159.26%, and -157.03% respectively. Bacteria isolates identified at the biofilms on the anode wereCorynebacteriumspecie, Bacillusspecie, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosaandStreptococcus faecalis. The results from this study further exacerbate the Bioelectricity production as well as wastewater treatment potentials of the Microbial Fuel Cell technology.

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ABSTRACT. Salmonella species were isolated from Nworie River and then tested against several antibiotics to include; Gentamycin, Streptomycin, Amoxycillin, Kanamycin, Oxacillin, Ofloxacin, Imipenem, Ciprofloxacin, Aztreonam and Ceftazidime. Salmonella isolates obtained from the river were resistant to at least three different antibiotics. All isolates were resistant to Amoxycillin, Oxacillin and Iminipem showing a 100% resistant rate, while showing sensitivity to Ciprofloxacin, Aztreonam, Gentamycin, Ceftazidime, Kanamycin, Streptomycin, and Ofloxacin at sensitivity rates of 71.4%, 7.1%, 77.1%, 11.4%, 44.3%, 48.6% and 78.6% respectively. The antibiotic-resistant Salmonella species were further tested against the aqueous, ethanol and acetone extracts of Vernonia amygdalina leaf, stem and roots to assess their antibacterial potential at a concentration of 100mg/ml. Aqueous extracts of the leaf, stem and roots showed no activity against antibiotic resistant Salmonella isolate, while the ethanol and acetone extracts showed activity rates of 20% and 17% for roots, 14.3% and 12.9% for stem, and, 15.7% and 11.4% for leaf. The results from this study further confirms the antibacterial potentials of Vernonia amygdalina against antibioticresistant bacterial isolates.

Aims: Aerobic methane oxidation coupled to denitrification (AME-D) is a promising process for removing nitrate from groundwater and yet its microbial mechanism and ecological implications are not fully understood. This study used RNA stable isotope probing (RNA-SIP) and high-throughput sequencing to identify the micro-organisms that are actively involved in aerobic methane oxidation within a denitrifying biofilm. Methods and Results: Two RNA-SIP experiments were conducted to investigate labelling of RNA and methane monooxygenase (pmoA) transcripts when exposed to 13 Clabelled methane over a 96-hour time period and to determine active bacteria involved in methane oxidation in a denitrifying biofilm. A third experiment was performed to ascertain the extent of 13 C labelling of RNA using isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS). All experiments used biofilm from an established packed bed reactor. IRMS confirmed 13 C enrichment of the RNA. The RNA-SIP experiments confirmed selective enrichment by the shift of pmoA transcripts into heavier fractions over time. Finally, high-throughput sequencing identified the active micro-organisms enriched with 13 C. Conclusions: Methanotrophs (Methylovulum spp. and Methylocystis spp.), methylotrophs (Methylotenera spp.) and denitrifiers (Hyphomicrobium spp.) were actively involved in AME-D. Significance and Impact of the Study: This is the first study to use RNA-SIP and high-throughput sequencing to determine the bacteria active within an AME-D community.