Resistance and Resilience Microbes and Benthos, a Paradigm for Coastal Water Pollution and Human Health Monitoring

Environmental pollution from anthropogenic cause considerable irreparable damage to aquatic ecosystems as well as public health as rapid industrialization and urbanization releases numerous toxic substances into the water bodies without treatment. Despite the sordid state of most of water bodies in the nascent Niger Delta ecological zone, there are some organisms especially microbes and benthos were comfortably thriving, and the species diversity is used as a prime as pectinbio logical monitoring, which is considered to be avaluable parameter in determining the health status of the environment. Three stations within the lower Niger Rivers were chosen for this study. Station A as selected based on its pollution load as a result of sewage disposal and public defecation, B is use for human recreational and agricultural activities, while C has no activities and far away from other stations. Water and sediments samples were collected monthly in triplicates for twelve months and a total of one hundred and forty four were examines for this investigation. Isolates were identified by morphological and biochemical characterization using taxonomy scheme, fungi was based on the microscopic features of hyphal mass, nature of fruiting bodies and morphology of cells and spores and the planktons were microscopically identified using electron microscope, while macro-invertebrates were identified using taxonomic keys. Results show the present of bacteria and fungi with hydrocarbon utilizing potentials, zooplanktons (Cyclops, rotifers, Cladocera) and macro-invertebrates (oysters, leeches and Aporrectodea longa) were abundant varyly. The physiochemical parameters of water samples were above the recommendation limits except the reference station

Keywords: Costal pollution, Resistance microbial communities, Public health Monitoring, Physiochemical parameters