PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND MICROBIOLOGICAL QUALITY OF WATER DRAWN FROM LINED AND UNLINED WELLS IN ZARIA, NIGERIA
PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND MICROBIOLOGICAL QUALITY OF WATER DRAWN FROM LINED AND UNLINED WELLS IN ZARIA, NIGERIA
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Date
2017-11
Authors
DANJUMA, FLORENCE YACHIM
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Abstract
Studies were carried out to assess the physicochemical and microbiological quality of water obtained from lined and unlined wells in Zaria. Zaria is a major city in Kaduna state in northern Nigeria. The city was divided into three sampling locations namely; Samaru, Sabon-gari and Tudun Wada. A total of 142 wells (53, 44 and 45 wells from Samaru, Sabon-gari and Tudun Wada respectively from both lined wells and unlined wells) were sampled for a period of six months encompassing both rainy and dry seasons (July to September for rainy season and November to January for dry season). Water samples from these wells were collected and analyzed for presence of cysts of Entamoebahistolytica and faecal contamination using membrane filtration techniques. Temperature,pH, conductivity and total dissolved solids were also measured. Temperature andpH had values that were within the normal ranges of 200C-320C and 6.5-8.5 respectively. ElectricalConductivity (EC) and Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) had values beyond the acceptable limits of 180-500μS/cmand 300-500mg/L respectively. A prevalence of 27.5% was recorded for Entamoebahistolyticacysts in the study area and the presence of the parasite was higher in lined wells (30.5%) than unlined wells (23.3%). The water samples contained high density of coliforms. A total of 168 coliforms bacteria belonging to10 species were isolated from the study which include;E. coli (48.3),Enterobacteragglomerans(11.2%), Enterobactergergoviae(10.5%), Enterobacteraerogenes(7.0%), Klebsiella pneumonia (9.9%),Klebsiellaozanae(10.5%), Citobacterfruundii(6.3%), Proteus mirabilis (2.8%),SerratiaLiquefaciens(9.9%), andAcinebacteriwoffi(1.4%). E. coli was the most frequently isolated bacterium. Isolates were subjected to antibiotic sensitivity tests and all the isolates tested (45) were susceptible to Nitrofurantoin, Chloramphenicol, Ciprofloxacin and Gentamicin except E. coli which showed resistance of 5.6 and 16.7% toChloramphenicol and Gentamicin respectively. The presence of Entamoebahistolyticacysts and significant counts of coliform bacteria in the well water samples is of great concern and suggest that the water obtained from these wells are not suitable for domestic(especiallydrinking) purposes without proper treatment.
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DEPARTMENT OF MICROBIOLOGY, FACULTY OF LIFE SCIENCES, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA
Keywords
PHYSICOCHEMICAL,, MICROBIOLOGICAL QUALITY,, WATER DRAWN,, LINED,, UNLINED WELLS,, ZARIA,, NIGERIA