Analysis of Factors Affecting the Contamination of Entamoeba sp. cyst and Soil-Transmitted Helminths egg on Dug Well Water

Dug well water is often polluted by fecal waste containment such as septic tank and pit latrine system due to its distance. The common pathogenic parasites found in fecal waste containment are E. histolytica and Soil-Transmitted Helminths (STH). The port de entry of both parasites is ingestion of contaminated food or water by fecal materials. This study was aimed to analyze factors affecting the existence of Entamoeba sp. cyst and STH egg on dug well water in Bungatan Village, Situbondo. This observational analytic study used cross-sectional approach, carried out 30 respondents in Bungatan Village, Situbondo. Entamoeba sp. cyst and STH egg were examined using sedimentation method, the distance of fecal waste containment to dug well measured by measuring tape. The characteristic of fecal waste containment and dug well was observed using questionnaires. The results showed 100% fecal containment used pit latrine system, 100% had an incomplete well standard, 66,7% had unstandardized distance with fecal waste containment. Entamoeba sp. cyst and STH egg were not found on all water samples. The soil condition near the dug well (acidity, temperature, moisture, and sunlight intensity) and physical condition (temperature) of dug well water were inappropriate to the development of Entamoeba sp. cyst and STH egg. The dug well's component and its distance to fecal containment did not affect Entamoeba sp. cyst and STH egg existence in all dug well water. The physical soil condition near the dug well and the temperature of dug well water were inappropriate to the development of both parasites. Keywords: Entamoeba sp., Soil Transmitted Helminths, Dug Well, Fecal Waste Containment

Unsaturated hydraulic conductivity of compacted bio-cemented lateritic soil in municipal solid waste containment application

Most engineering infrastructures, including municipal solid waste containment facilities, are situated in unsaturated zone. The use of chemical additives for soil improvement has been linked to the adverse environmental issues being experienced globally. Research into more sustainable methods of soil improvement has led to the discovery of a novel and innovative method known as microbial induced calcite precipitation (MICP). Lateritic soil was treated with stepped Sporosarcina pasteurii (S. pasteurii) suspension density up to 2.40 x 109 cells/ml at moulding water content (MWC) -2, 0 and +2 % relative to optimum moisture content (OMC) before compaction using Reduced British Standard light (RBSL), British Standard light (BSL), West African Standard (WAS) or Intermediate and British Standard heavy (BSH) energies. Compacted specimens were saturated with cementation reagent in three cycles with 1/3rd pore volume at 6 hours’ interval to induce calcite precipitation at an ambient laboratory temperature of 24±2°C. The soil-water characteristics curves (SWCC) of the specimens were determined using pressure plate extractor over a pressure range of 10-1500 kPa. Unsaturated hydraulic conductivity values were predicted for the S. pasteurii suspension densities considered using Brooks-Corey, van Genuchten as well as Fredlund and Xing curve fitting prediction models. Results show that the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity values of specimens prepared at lower, MWC relative to OMC were generally higher than at higher MWC regardless of compactive efforts and S. pasteurii suspension densities considered. The Brooks-Corey model gave the best predicted unsaturated hydraulic conductivity values which fit the requirements for waste containment facilities over the matric suction range and S. pasteurii suspension densities considered, than the van Genuchten and Fredlund – Xing, when compared with measured values.