ABSTRACT

The microbiological and physicochemical characteristics of Ezu-nwabunagu stream were carried out aseptically. A total of 20 water samples were collected and analyzed for total aerobic plate count, coliform count, Escherichiacoli count, Salmonella-Shigella count, Vibrio cholerae count and fungal count using pour plate technique. The media used were nutrient agar, MacConkey agar, eosin methylene blue agar, Salmonella-Shigella agar, thiosulphate citrate bile sucrose agar and potato dextrose agar. From the present analysis, the total aerobic plate count (TAPC)has the lowest count of 1.5 ± 0.2 x 106cfu/mL to the highest count of 1.12 ± 0.5 x 107cfu/mL; coliform count has the lowest count of 0 ± 0.0MPN/100mLthe highest count of 902 ± 20MPN/100mL; Salmonella-Shigella count has the lowest count of 0 ± 0.0cfu/mL to the highest count of  7 ± 0.4 x 103cfu/mL; Escherichiacoli count has the lowest count of 0 ± 0.0cfu/mL to the highest count of 2.4 ± 0.6 x 103cfu/mL; Vibrio cholerae count has the lowest count of 0 ± 0.0cfu/mL to the highest count of 6 ± 0.5 x 102cfu/mL and the fungal count has the lowest count of 0 ± 0.0cfu/mL to the highest count of 2.5 ± 0.07 x 102cfu/mL. The microorganisms isolated and their percentage occurrence were Pseudomonas species, Vibriocholerae, Shigella species, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella species, Bacillus species, Proteus species, Escherichia coli, Enterobacter species, Aspergillus species, Penicillum species and Yeast. The mean values ranged as follows, pH, 6.15 ± 0.1 – 6.90 ± 0.2; temperature, 29.0 ± .02oC – 31.0 ± 0.05oC; total dissolved solids, 0.024 ± 0.002mg/L – 0.11 ± 0.01mg/L; total suspended solids, 0.015 ± 0.001mg/L – 0.034 ± 0.003mg/L; alkalinity, 0.07 ± 0.01mg/L – 0.36 ± 0.03mg/L; hardness, 42.75 ± 2.5mg/L – 94.85 ± 10.0mg/L; nitrate, 0 ± 0.0mg/L – 65.47 ± 5.0mg/L; sulphate, 0 ± 0.0mg/L – 332.35 ± 25.0mg/L; phosphate, 8.70 ± 1.0mg/L – 86.82 ± 7.5mg/L; zinc, 0.24 ± 0.02mg/L – 1.88 ± 0.3mg/L; iron, 0.86 ± 0.01mg/L – 3.54 ± 0.05mg/L; copper, 0 ± 0.0mg/L – 0.4 ± 0.01mg/L; silver, 0 ± 0.0mg/L; lead, 0 ± 0.0mg/L – 0.8 ± 0.01mg/L; manganese, 0.1 ± 0.0mg/L – 0.04 ± 0.01mg/L and mercury, 0 ± 0.0mg/L. From the result showed, the stream is polluted with organisms of public health importance and the stream water should be treated before use.

TABLE OF CONTENT

CONTENT PAGE

Title i

Certification ii

Dedication iii

Acknowledgement iv

Table of Contents v

List of Tables viii

List of Figures ix

Abstract x

CHAPTER ONE

1.1 Background to the study 1

1.2 Location of the Study Area 2

1.3 Scope of the study 2

1.4 Justification 2

1.5 Aims and objectives of the study 3

CHAPTER TWO

2.0 Literature Review 4

2.1 Sources of Water 4

2.1.1 Ground water 5

2.2 Microbiological Examination of Water 6

2.3 Indicators of Microbial water quality 6

2.3.1 The Coliforms 6

2.3.2 Contaminants of water 7

CHAPTER THREE

3.1 Collection of the samples 9

3.2 Microbiological method 12

3.2.1 Media preparation 12

3.2.2 Colony count 12

3.2.3 Chemical reagents 12

3.2.4 Enumeration of Total Heterotrophic bacteria and fungi count 13

3.3 Characterization and identification of bacterial and fungal isolates 13

3.4 Physiochemical parameter 14

3.4.1 pH 14

3.4.2 (EC) Conductivity 14

3.4.3 Total suspended Solids 14

3.4.4 Total dissolved solid 15

3.4.5 Chloride 16

3.4.6 Nitrate 17

3.4.7 Sulphate 17

3.4.8 Hardness 18

CHAPTER FOUR

4.1 Results 19

CHAPTER FIVE

5.1 Discussion 21

5.2 Conclusion 23

References 24