ABSTRACT
Waste human hair is an overlooked part of Municipal solid waste (MSW) generated from salons, its improper disposal leads to clogging of drainage pipes ensued with flooding. Pleurotus ostreatus (Oyster mushroom) is capable of utilising several organic substrate types due to the secretion of hydrolysing and oxidizing enzymes in mycelium hyphae. This work determined bacteria and fungi present in waste human hair fibre and the potential for its use in cultivating edible mushrooms P. ostreatus (Oyster mushroom). Waste Human Hair (WHH) were collected from two (2) male barbershops in Egor local government area, Edo state. Microbial analyses of WHH as well as nutrient analyses and physicochemical analyses of Waste Human Hair Broth (WHHB) were based on standard procedures. The growth of P. ostreatus mycelium was studied for 15 days on PDA prepared with WHHB at 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% concentrations which were obtained by modified hydrolysis technique. Subsequently, P. ostreatus growth was analysed using 0 and 100% v/v WHHB in grain spawn for 5 days. Again, pulverised WHH samples (sterilized and unsterilized) mixed with sawdust in varying concentrations (5, 10, 15 and 20% WHH) were used as nitrogen supplements in monitoring the growth of P. ostreatus for 100 days. Growth of P. ostreatus in sawdust and rice bran was used as control while growth and proximate analysis of P. ostreatus were determined using standard methods. The total bacterial and fungal counts obtained from WHH samples were 4.50 ± 1.00 x 102 cfu/g and 0.61 ± 0.05 x102 sfu/g respectively. The physicochemical parameters and nutrient content of WHHB showed a pH of 7.20 ± 0.02, temperature of 25oC and protein content of 421.33 ± 3.06 mg/dL. Once more, potassium content of 21.67 ± 0.00mg/L, magnesium content of 17.93 ± 0.64 mg/L and phosphorus content of 7.86 ± 0.67mg/L were obtained. Mycelia growth diameter and rate were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the 100% v/v WHHB relative to the control (0% v/v WHHB) after 15 days, and also grew luxuriously in grain spawn after 5 days relative to control. Mycelium complete run was observed in the sterilized samples after acclimatization but not in the unsterilized group. Sterilized samples (control, 5, 10, and 15 % WHH) gave rise to mushrooms with the exception of the 20 % WHH sample. Proximate analysis of the harvested mushrooms showed that lipid content was significantly higher (p < 0 .05) in the 15% WHH samples (2.35 ± 0.05) when compared to the control (1.23 ± 0.02). Furthermore, carbohydrate content was significantly higher (p < 0 .05) in 5% WHH samples (48.36 ± 0.04) relative to the control (43.40 ± 0.15). Furthermore, the 10% WHH group showed significant yield and biological efficiency of mushrooms, second only to the control group. Higher growth in WHHB is attributed to protein, macro and micro nutrients availability in the broth. The high yielding mushrooms produced in the control group is as a result of the established relationship between sawdust/rice bran and fungal mycelium over several generations. The potential for recycling WHH provides an avenue for the promotion of the circular economy.
