MICROBIOLOGICAL AND PHYSICOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SURFACE AND UNDER GROUND WATER IN IKOT AKPADEN
Abstract
Water quality monitoring is an essential component for formulating measures and
addressing the issues to safeguard public health. This study was undertaken to
analyze the microbiological and physicochemical characteristics of surface and
underground water in Ikot Akpaden using standard Microbiological and analytical
procedures. Water samples were collected from bore hole and stream located at
Ubong Abasi and Ikot Enin respectively. The microbiological analysis showed Total
bacteria counts ranging from 1.4 × 105 to 8.3 × 10⁴ CFU/ml, Total Fungal Counts
from 3.0 × 103 to 6.0 × 103, Total Coliform Counts ranged from 1.3 × 10-6 to 1.6 × 10-4
CFU/ml respectively. The bacteria isolated included Shigella spp, Staphylococcus
spp, Klebsiella spp, Escherichia coli, Citrobacter spp, Pseudomonas spp, Salmonella
spp. Fungi species isolated included Penicillium spp, Fusarium spp, Aspergillus spp,
Candida spp. Physicochemical analysis of the water sample reveals that the heavy
metal concentration for surface water contains Zinc which had the highest
concentration (0.93) while for underground water source contains Copper which had
the highest concentration (0.63). Results shows the turbidity of the water at 30.00
(NTU) exceeded permissible limit of 5.0 (NTU) and Total suspended solid resulted of
182 ± 24 (TSS) exceeding permissible limit of 100 (TSS). Lead (pb) and Mercury (Hg)
was detected in surface water sample at a concentration of 0.01(pb) and 0.002 (Hg)
respectively but was not detected in the underground water. The study revealed the
surface and underground water in Ikot Akpaden does not meet WHO requirements
for portable drinking water. There is urgent need for water treatment to meet the
necessary requirement for portable drinking water.
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