MICROBIAL EVALUATION OF NKWUAKU AND OGBARU STREAM WATER IN AWGU LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA IN ENUGU STATE

ABSTRACT

Nkwuaku and Ogbaru stream water were evaluated for the presence of microbial contaminants. A total number of twelve (12) microorganisms were isolated from both water samples analyzed. Eight (8) bacteria genera isolated include; Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Salmonella spp., Klebsiella spp., Staphylococcum aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus Spp.  and Campylobacter spp. The four (4) fungi isolated include; Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus and Fusarium oxysporum. The physicochemical characteristics of the water samples showed that Nkwuaku stream water had the least total dissolved solid value of 210mg/L while the highest value of 270mg/L was recorded  for Ogbaru stream water. The total bacteria count carried out revealed that Ogbaru stream water had the highest bacterial population of 5.1x107cfu/ml while the least bacterial population of 4.2x107cfu/ml was recorded for Nkwuaku stream water. Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., Staphylococcus aureus  and Proteus spp. had the highest percentage occurrence of 16.66% each, while the least percentage occurrence of 8.33% was recorded for Enterococcus faecalis, Klebsilla spp.,  Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Campylobacter spp. each. Also, Aspergillus recorded the highest percentage occurrence of 40% for fungi while the least percentage of 20% was recorded for Aspergillus niger, Fusarium oxysporium and Aspergillus fumigatus each.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title  page i

Certification ii

Dedication iii

Acknowledgements iv
Table of Contents v

List of Tables viii

List of Figures ix

Abstract x

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Aim of the Study 2

1.2 Objectives of the Study 3

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Water Quality 4

2.2 Water Quality Standards 4

2.3 Categories of Water Quality 5

2.3.1 Human Consumption 5

2.3.2 Industrial and Domestic Use 6

2.3.3 Environmental Water Quality 6

2.4 Water Pollution 7

2.5 Types of Water Pollution 8

2.5.1 Surface Water Pollution 8

2.5.2 Groundwater Pollution 8

2.6 Categories of Pollution Sources 9

2.6.1 Point Sources 9

2.6.2 Non-Point Sources 10

2.7 Contaminants and their Sources 10

2.7.1 Chemical 10

2.7.2 Pathogens 11

2.8 Organic, Inorganic and Macroscopic Contaminants 12

2.8.1 Organic Water Pollutants 12

2.8.2 Inorganic Water Pollutants 13

2.8.3 Macroscopic Pollution 14

2.9 Change in Temperature 14

CHAPTER THREE: MATERIALS AND METHODS

3.1 Study Area 15

3.2 Collection of Samples 15

3.3 Sterilization of Materials 15

3.4 Physicochemical Analysis 16

3.5 Determination of Physical Parameters 16

3.5.1 Determination of pH 16

3.5.2 Determination of Temperature 16

3.5.3 Determination of Conductivity 16

3.5.4 Determination of Colour 17

3.5.5 Determination of Turbidity 17

3.5.6 Determination of Odour 17

3.5.7 Determination of Total Solids (TS) by (Gravimetric Method) 17

3.5.8 Determination of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) (Gravimetric Method) 18

3.5.9 Determination of Total Suspended Solids (TSS) 18

3.6 Determination of Alkalinity 19

3.6.1 Determination of Acidity 19

3.7 Microbiological Analysis 20

3.7.1 Preparation and Inoculation of Samples 20

3.7.2 Purification of Isolates 20

3.7.3 Identification of the Isolates 21

3.7.4 Gram Staining 21

3.8 Coliform Count 22

3.8.1 Presumptive Test 22

3.8.2 Confirmative Test 22

3.8.3 The Completed Test 22

3.9 Biochemical Test 23

3.9.1 Catalase Test 23

3.9.2 Motility Test 23

3.9.3 Indole Test 23

3.9.4 Citrate Utilization Test 24

3.9.5 Coagulase Test 24

3.9.6 Oxidase Test 24

3.9.7 Methyl Red Test 25

3.9.8 Urease Test 25

3.9.9 Sugar Utilization Test 25

3.10 Identification of Fungal Isolates 26

3.10.1 Lactophenol Cotton Blue Staining 26

CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS

CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

5.1 Discussion 39

5.2 Conclusion 41

5.3 Recommendation 42

References

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1: Physicochemical Characteristics of the Stream Water Samples

in Awugu Local Government Area, Enugu State 29

Table 2: Colonial Characteristics of Isolates from Ogbaru Stream Water  

on Different Growth Media 30

Table 3 Total Bacterial Fungal Plate Counts Obtained from the

Stream Water 31

Table 4: Morphological and Biochemical Characteristics of Bacteria

Present in Stream Water Samples in Awgu Local

Government Area, Enugu 32

Table 5: Morphological Characteristics of Fungal Isolates in the Stream

Water Samples 33

Table 6: MPN Values per 100ml of the Stream Water Samples 34

Table 7: Percentage Occurrence of Bacterial Isolates from Stream Water

Samples 35

Table 8: Percentage Occurrence of Fungal Isolates from Stream

Water Samples 36

LIST OF FIGURES

Fig. 1:  Percentage Occurrence of Bacterial Isolates 37

Fig. 2: Percentage Occurrence of Fungal Isolates 38

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 Introduction

Water is the most vital element among the natural resources; it is the most indispensable need for existence of all living things. Its decreasing availability in terms of quality and quantity has been a major public health concern in Africa, particularly in Nigeria (WHO, 2004; Saraveanan and Peter, 2009). Water fit for consumption is called drinking or portable water (Egberongbe et al., 2010). According to a recent UNICEF report, about 80 million people in Asia and Africa are living without access to safe water.

Consequently, this has caused many people to suffer from various diseases (Tanwir et al., 2003). In developing countries such as Nigeria, most of the rural community lack access to potable water supply and rely mainly on river and stream sources for their household use and other purposes (Banwo, 2006).

Many water sources in developing countries are unhealthy because they contain harmful physical, chemical and biological agents. Unfortunately, many of the available water sources are not potable without some form of treatment which is seldom or not available in most rural settings which expose the rural populace to waterborne diseases (Oketola et al., 2006). The major proportion of all water quality degradation worldwide is due to anthropogenic causes (Scott et al., 2003). In some rural areas in Nigeria, domestic wastes, sewage and faeces are being discharged into streams which also serve as their water sources for daily needs. When the load of organic matter or wastes is too heavy, the self purification power of the stream are unable to remove these materials added and there will be pollution of these water sources which can be dangerous to human and the environment as a whole (Adetokunbo and Grilles, 2003). These multiple sources of contamination are compounded by limited environment awareness in rural area (Lehloesa and Muyima, 2004). The microbiological quality of drinking water is of a great primary importance, and the monitoring of bacterial indicators such as total coliform. Microbial indicators have been used worldwide to indicate if human wastes have contaminated water body. Microbes typically utilized are those that are found in elevated concentrated in human faecal coliform, Escherichia coli and Enterococci (Brooks et al., 2006).

An additional indicator, Clostridium perfringes can be used for monitoring stream water quality (Egberongbe et al., 2010). The outbreaks of diarrhea or gastroenteritis in rural communities have all been attributed to the consumption of water of poor microbial quality (Ashbolt, 2004). It is therefore not an option but an imperative to critically monitor the quality of water supply in rural areas in order to further highlight their despicable water supply situation and to provide the impetus for sustainable government intervention (Gucker et al., 2006).

1.1 Aim of the Study

 The aim of this study is to identify the different types of microorganisms contaminating the Nkwuaku and Ogbaru stream water in Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State.

1.2 Objectives of the Study

The objectives of this study were to:-

i. Identification of physicochemical characteristics of stream water samples.

ii. Isolate microorganisms from Nkwuaku and Ogbaru stream water sample.

iii. Characterize and identify the isolated microorganisms from Nkwuaku and Ogbaru stream water sample.

iv. Determine the percentage occurrence of the isolates.

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