Tag Archives: Menengai

CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND MICROBIAL DIVERSITY OF SOILS FROM MENENGAI CRATER IN KENYA

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Paul Njenga Waithaka1*, Francis B. Mwaura1, John M. Wagacha1, Eliud M. Gathuru2, Francis M. Ngumbu2 and Anderson K. Mwangi2
1University of Nairobi, school of biological sciences, P. O. Box, 30197-00100 Nairobi, Kenya
2Egerton University, Department of biological sciences, P. O. Box, 536 Njoro, Kenya
Corresponding author; Paul Njenga Waithaka, Cell; +254 721104637, Email; waithakanj@gmail.com, waithakanj@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT A total of 98 soil samples collected from Menengai geothermal site located in Nakuru, Kenya were analyzed for their chemical and microbial components. In region A, phosphorus, sodium, nitrogen and carbon were deficient, region B and C, phosphorus and manganese while in while in D the deficient minerals were phosphorus, sodium, nitrogen and carbon. Toxic minerals were calcium and magnesium in regions A, B, C and D. The most prevalent bacteria were Escherichia coli with a mean of (3.35×107) while the least were Bacillus sp. (1.40×105). Among the fungi, the most dominant were Aspergillus nomius with a mean of 4.42x 104 with the least been Panicillium sacculum (8.09×103). As much as geothermal exploration is important in boosting the country’s energy reserves, there is need to rehabilitate the caldera so as to restore the microbial composition of the region.

Keywords: diversity, crater, geothermal, Menengai, microbial, chemical

 

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