MICROBIAL EXAMINATION OF BOREHOLE WATER IN SABO

ABSTRACT

Three different samples of borehole water labeled A, B and C were collected from Sabo in Auchi. The three samples were analysed for microbial counts and types of microorganism presents. The results revealed the presence of Streptococcus lactis and Staphylococcus saprophyticus for sample A, sample B had Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus saprophyticus while sample C had Pseudomonas species, Staphylococcus saprophyticus and Staphylococcus aureus sample B had the least microbial count (0.8 X 10⁵ cfu/ml), while sample A had the highest microbial count (1.6 x 10⁵ cfu/ml). There were significant difference(P    0.05) in the microbial counts of the samples. These isolated microorganism can be eliminated through proper treatment like chlorination to avoid spread of water borne diseases.              

TABLE OF CONTENT

CHAPTER ONE:

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Aim of Study

1.3 Definition of Terms

CHAPTER TWO:

2.1 Literature Review

2.2 Natural Water

2.3 Water Cycle

2.4 Types of Water

2.5 Sources of Fresh Water

2.6 Water Quality Tests

2.7 Properties of Water

2.8 States of Water

CHAPTER THREE:  RAW MATERIALS AND METHODOLOGY

3.1 Materials and Method

CHAPTER FOUR:  RESULT AND DISCUSSION

4.0 Result and Discussion

CHAPTER FIVE:  CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1 Conclusion/Recommendation

REFERENCES

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

          The potential of water to harbor microbial pathogens and causing  subsequent illness is well documented  for both developed and developing  countries (wright et el, 2004). Water like air is one of the most indispensable coumpounds in life. Water of good drinking quality is of basic importance to human physiology and mans continued existence depends very much on it availability (Nwosu and Ogueke, 2004). It is universal solvent with supplies from wells, rivers, springs, borehole, lakes, streams  etc. during  passage through the ground it dissolves minerals in rocks, collects suspend and particulate matter particularly organic as well as pathogenic microorganisms from faecal matters. Majority of rural water sources for drinking are still the traditional ones that are dams, wells, rivers, streams, ponds which might harbor waterborne and vector diseases (Fenwick, 2006). Water has been associated with transmission of waterborne diseases such as diarrhea, cholera, typhoid fever, river blindness among others (Oyeku, 1998). These and other factors make the raw water unfit for drinking without treatment. The extent of treatment needed therefore is determined by the quality of the water source.

          Federal ministry of health gave a statistics in 1994 that only about 30% of Nigerian have access to portable water while in the same years, united nations estimated that 1.2 billion people lacked access to portable water world wide.

          Well, borehole, and river are the major sources of water for human consumption and other domestic uses in Auchi and its environ. These water sources are not portable, and to monitor palatability and safety of this water, the microbial analysis must be assessed to see their conformity with regulatory standards. This work serves as preliminary  assessment for careful evaluation for microbiological analysis of the water and hope that the result will provide informative update on the quality of water from these sources in line with world  health organization (who) standards adopted by national agency for food drug administration and control(NAFDAC) in Nigeria.

1.1 AIM OF STUDY

          This study is aimed at the isolation and identification of the microorganisms that are present in water source from Auchi and it’s environ in other to ascertain whether they are wholesome and if they meet the quality standard of portable water as recommended by the who.

1.2 LIMITATION TO STUDY

          From each source of water, three samples were supposed to be taken for the experiment, but because of inadequate materials, two samples were collected from each source. This was one of the limitation o the study. Also, some major equipment needed to complete the experiment where not readily available which led to delay of the process.

1.3 DEFINITION OF TERMS

v Microbial water analysis-this is a method of analyzing water to estimate the number of bacterial present and, if needed, to find out what sort of bacterial they are.

v Culture- a culture is defined as a medium in which (liquid) or on which (solid) an inoculum has grown.

v Culture media-these are devices used for the growth, isolation, identification and storage or preservation of microorganisms.

v Microbial growth-this is the orderly increase in the sum of all the components of an organism.

v Gram staining-this is an empirical method of differentiating bacteria species into two large groups (gram-positive and gram negative) based on the chemicals and physical properties of their cell walls.

v Sterilization-this is a term referring to any process that eliminates or kills all forms of life, including transmissible agents (such as fungi, bacteria, viruses) present on a surface, contiaed in  the fluid, in medication, or in a compound such as biological culture media.

v Incubation-this is a process of protecting a cultured media from being contaminated by a particular organism.

v Microbial load-this is the total number of bacteria and fungi in a given quantity of water or on the surface of food.

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