Isolation and identification of pathogenic microorganisms from dump soil and sewage water in Tenali, India: Implications for public health and waste management

Environmental pollution caused by improper waste disposal significantly threatens public health. This study aimed to isolate and identify pathogenic microorganisms from sewage sludge and wastewater collected from the dump sites in Tenali, Vijayawada, and Guntur in Andhra Pradesh, India. A total of five samples, including four soil samples from different stages of decomposition and one sewage water sample, were analyzed for microbial contamination. The pathogen screening involved serial dilution, nutrient agar culturing, and biochemical characterization. We isolated six major pathogenic species: Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus species, Bacillus species, Actinomycetes species, Trichoderma species, and Aspergillus niger. The microbial load varied with the soil decomposition time, with higher pathogen counts in freshly dumped soil that declined over time, possibly due to phytoremediation and seasonal rainfall effects. The study highlights the presence of diverse pathogenic microorganisms in waste-contaminated environments, emphasizing the need for proper waste management and further investigation into the impact of leachate on microbial diversity.