Microbial Population Dynamics of Paracetamol and Ibuprofen Impacted Effluent

Pharmaceutical contaminants such as paracetamol and ibuprofen are emerging environmental pollutants of concern due to their persistence in aquatic environments and potential to disrupt microbial communities. This study examined the microbial population dynamics in four pharmaceutical effluents impacted by these drugs. The microbial populations enumerated were total culturable heterotrophic bacterial counts (TCHBC), total culturable fungal counts (TCFC), total culturable paracetamol utilizing bacterial counts (TCPUBC), total culturable Ibuprofen utilizing bacterial counts (TCIUBC), and total culturable paracetamol and ibuprofen utilizing bacterial counts (TCPIUBC). Results revealed that the TCHBC ranged from 7.9x106± 2.824 Cfu/ml – 2.1x108±1.333 Cfu/ml, TCFC ranged from 3.2x106±1.331 Cfu/ml -2.17x107±2.663 Cfu/ml, TCPUBC ranged from1.4x107±2.306 Cfu/ml -8.0x108±1.331 Cfu/ml, TCIUBC ranged from 2.25x106±1.331 Cfu/ml - 1.7x108±2.306 Cfu/ml while TCPIUBC ranged from 1.7x107± 1.331 Cfu/ml – 1.0x108±2.303 Cfu/ml. The elevated abundance of pharmaceutical-utilizing bacteria suggests adaptive responses within the microbial community, enabling the metabolism of paracetamol and ibuprofen as carbon sources. Such adaptation highlights the potential role of indigenous microbial populations in the natural attenuation of pharmaceutical contaminants. These findings underscore the ecological significance of microbial community dynamics in contaminated effluents and support the development of enriched bacterial consortia for targeted bioremediation in pharmaceutical wastewater treatment systems.