ABSTRACT
Paints are formulated mixtures containing pigments and other chemical components that serve both decorative and protective functions which have been used since ancient times with significant advancement over centuries. The study focuses on isolation and characterization of bacteria associated with deteriorated emulsion outdoor paints in the University of Benin, Ugbowo campus. The samples of deteriorated emulsion paint were collected from chemical engineering, herbarium, Iyayi hall, microbiology department, pharmacy annex, science laboratory technology department, by aseptically scrapping the surface of the deteriorated wall into a sterile universal bottle and was properly labelled and taken to the laboratory for further analysis. 1g of each sample were weighed and dissolved in 9ml of sterile water and was subjected to 5dilution factors. Nutrient agar was prepared and used for bacteria culturing. Pour plate method was adopted by pipetting 0.5ml of the 105 aliquot and rocked properly for even mixture, the samples were incubated for 24hrs, bacteria counts varied among the sites. Iyayi hall recorded the highest bacterial count (1.0 x107 CFU), followed by pharmacy annex (1.02 x107 CFU), while chemical engineering security post had the lowest count (1.75x106). Morphological examination of bacteria colonies based on cultural characteristics identified pseudomonas aeruginosa, staphylococcus, streptococcus, Escherichia coli and pseudomonas florescence as the predominant species, with pseudomonas aeruginosa being the most frequently isolated species (44.4% occurence). The colony characteristics such as bluish green, greenish, creamy, milky pigmentation along with variations in texture, suggests enzymatic activity contributing to paint degradation. These findings highlight the ecological significance of bacteria in paint deterioration and emphasizes the need for antifungal additives in paint formulations, routine maintenance, and environmental control measures to mitigate microbial colonization.
