ABSTRACT

The aim of this study is the microbiological study of some selected cosmetics products used by their consumers. A Total Eight (8) samples of cosmetics products Powder, Lipstick, Body lotion ,Nail polish, Tiro, Enchanter powder, Body butter cream and Face scrub were collected from female students in Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike and was transported to the laboratory for microbiological analysis. A Tenfold serial dilution of each of the samples was prepared using sterile distilled water. 0.1 mL aliquots of the serially-diluted samples (10-4 and 10-5) were spread-plated on the surface of nutrient agar (NA), MacConkey agar and Blood agar contained in petri dishes to isolate the bacteria. The plates were incubated at 37˚C for 24-48hrs in an inverted position. The colonies that developed were counted, subcultured and stored on sterile nutrient agar slants for characterization and identification. The same procedure was used in the isolation of the fungi except that Saboraud dextrose agar (SDA) was used as the growth medium and the plates incubated at 370C. After microbial analysis, Six different bacterial isolates from cosmetic products were identified by morphological characteristics the major bacterial isolates to belong to Bacillus specie, E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus sp and Micrococcus sp respectively while Three  fungal isolates from  cosmetic products which were identified by their morphological characteristics and  revealed the fungal isolates to belong to Aspergillus, Aspergillus flavus, and Rhodotorula sp. The microbial evaluation of used cosmetic products exhibited high bacterial count ranging between 8.2 x 104 to 4.7 x 104 while total coliform plate count ranged from 7.8 x 104 to 4.6 x 104 and total fungal plate count has 5.0 x 104 to 2.0 x 104 respectively while the unsued cosmestic products showed that Total Heterotrophic count ranged from 8.8 x104 to 3.6 x104, while total coliform plate count ranged from 9.9 x104 and Total plate count 4.0x 104 to 3.4 x104.The percentage occurrence of bacterial isolates from different cosmetic products Staphylococcus aureus (28%) was predominant among the samples used in this study followed by E. coli (20%), Micrococcus sp (20%), Bacillus sp (16%), Proteus (12%) while Pseudomonas aeruginosa (4%) was least predominant while the percentage occurrence of fungal isolates from different cosmetic products. Aspergillus fumigatus 46%, was predominant followed by Aspergillus flavus (30.8%) while Rhodotula sp (23%) was least predominant

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page i

Certification ii

Dedication iii

Acknowledgements iv

Table of Contents v

Lists of Tables vii

Abstract viii

1.0 CHAPTER ONE 

1.1 Introduction 1

1.2 Types of Cosmetics 1

1.3 Where They Can Be Bought 5

1.4 Uses of Cosmetics 5

1.5 Group of Individuals That Use Cosmetics 5

1.6 Method Used In Detecting the Microbial Load in Cosmetics 5

1.7 Advantages and Disadvantages of Cosmetics 8

1.7.1 Disadvantages 8

1.8 Aims and Objectives 8

2.0 CHAPTER TWO

2.1   Literature Review 9

2.2   Microorganisms and Cosmetics 9

2.3 Cosmetic Preservatives 16

3.0 CHAPTER THREE

3.1 Materials and Methods 18

3.2 Study Area 18

3.3 Sample Collection 18

3.4 Media Used 18

3.5 Sterilization 19

3.6 Isolation of Microorganisms 19

3.7 Characterization and Identification of the Bacterial Isolates 19

3.8 Gram Staining 19

3.9  Biochemical Cultural Characteristics 20

3.9.1Catalase Test 20

3.9.2 Coagulase Test 20

3.9.3 Citrate Test 20

3.9.4 Motility Test 21

3.9.5 Indole Test 21

3.9.6 Oxidase Test 21

3.9.7 Sugar Fermentation 22

3.10 Characterization and Identification of the Fungal Isolates 22

3.10.1 Lactophenol Cotton Blue Staining 22

3.10.2 Slide Culture Test 23

3.11 Statistical Analysis 23

4.0 CHAPTER FOUR 

4.1 Results 24

5.0 CHAPTER FIVE

5.1 Discussion, Conclusion and Recommendation 30

5.2 Discussion 30

5.3 Conclusion 32

5.4 Recommendation 33

References 34

Appendix I

Appendix II