Bacteriological quality and antibiogram of isolates from potable water sources in ekosodin community, Benin City, Nigeria

This study sought to determine the bacteriological quality of some boreholes and storage tanks used for drinking and other domestic purposes in Ekosodin community and evaluated the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of the groundwater resources isolates. A total of 48 samples were collected from three boreholes and storage tanks for a period of two months. Samples were analyzedfor microbiological content following standard procedures. Feacal Coliform (FC) and Feacal Streptoccocci (FS) counts and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns were evaluated using the Most Probable Number and Kirby-Bauer methods respectively.The mean FC counts (1.2±0.3Cfu/100ml - 55±10Cfu/100ml) and meanSF counts (0cfu/100ml – 9.25±1.1Cfu/100ml) in some of the samples examined, exceeded the WHO limit of 0Cfu/100ml for drinking water. Significant differences were recorded for mean FS counts betweensome boreholes and storage tanks. Escherichia coli (34%), Klebsiella sp (23%), Pseudomonas sp (19%) and Feacal Streptococci(12%) were amongst the identified isolates from the water samples. The antibiogram analysis revealed that all isolates (87%) except some strains of Feacal Streptococci were sensitive to ciprofloxacin and 73% of isolates were resistant to Erythromycin. All isolates exhibited a multi drug resistance to at least eight antibiotics. The microbial analysis revealed a faecal contamination of the groundwater, making it unfit for drinking without proper disinfection.Keywords: Ciprofloxacin, Multidrug resistance, Feacal Coliforms, Feacal Streptococci, Erythromyci

Effects of Sunlight Exposure on the Quality Parameters of Bottled Water

This study was conducted to determine the physicochemical, heavy metal and microbiological effect of sunlight exposure on bottled water quality. Nine brands of bottled water commonly produced and sold in Benin City were exposed to sunlight for 0 day, 14 days and 28 days and evaluated for physicochemical parameters (pH, EC, TDS, alkalinity, hardness, Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, Cl- ), heavy metals levels (Pb, Cd, Zn, As) and microbial content using standard methods. Results obtained showed that 96.30% of the pH values were below the WHO (6.5-8.5), SON (6.5-8.5) and NIS (7.5) standards, a gradual decline in the values was also observed with increasing sunlight exposure. Other physicochemical parameters were within the established standards with steady increments in the values with increasing sunlight exposure, except for alkalinity which declined consistently due to increase in the acidity levels of the water samples. There was a general increase in the Zn concentration for all bottled water brands from 0 day to 28 days, except for brand C which remained the same, while Pb, Cd, As level were not detected. Interestingly, a gradual decrease of the microbial population (total coliform) of the bottled water with increasing exposure to sunlight was observed. In all, the varying exposure to sunlight did not result in statistical significant changes (P< 0.05) in the water quality