scholarly journals Multiparametric comparison of chromogenic-based culture methods used to assess the microbiological quality of drinking water and the mFC method combined with a molecular confirmation procedure

2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-72
Author(s):  
Andrée F. Maheux ◽  
Vanessa Dion-Dupont ◽  
Marc-Antoine Bisson ◽  
Sébastien Bouchard ◽  
Éric Jubinville ◽  
...  

MI agar and Colilert®, as well as mFC agar combined with an Escherichia coli-specific molecular assay (mFC + E. coli rtPCR), were compared in terms of their sensitivity, ease of use, time to result and affordability. The three methods yielded a positive E. coli signal for 11.5, 10.8, and 11.5% of the 968 well water samples tested, respectively. One hundred and thirty-six (136) samples gave blue colonies on mFC agar and required confirmation. E. coli-specific rtPCR showed false-positive results in 23.5% (32/136) of cases. In terms of ease of use, Colilert was the simplest method to use while the MI method provided ease of use comparable to all membrane filtration methods. However, the mFC + E. coli rtPCR assay required highly trained employees for confirmation purposes. In terms of affordability, and considering contamination rate of well water samples tested, the Colilert method and the mFC + E. coli rtPCR assay were at least five times more costly than the MI agar method. Overall, compared with the other two methods tested, the MI agar method offers the most advantages to assess drinking water quality.

2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 340-352 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrée F. Maheux ◽  
Vanessa Dion-Dupont ◽  
Sébastien Bouchard ◽  
Marc-Antoine Bisson ◽  
Michel G. Bergeron ◽  
...  

The MI agar, Colilert®, Chromocult coliform® agar, and DC with BCIG agar chromogenic culture-based methods used to assess microbiological quality of drinking water were compared in terms of their ubiquity, sensitivity, ease of use, growth of atypical colonies and affordability. For ubiquity, 129 total coliform (representing 76 species) and 19 Escherichia coli strains were tested. Then, 635 1-L well water samples were divided into 100 mL subsamples for testing by all four methods. Test results showed that 70.5, 52.7, 36.4, and 23.3% of the non-E. coli total coliform strains and 94.7, 94.7, 89.5, and 89.5% of the 19 E. coli strains yielded a positive signal with the four methods, respectively. They also yielded a total coliform positive signal for 66.5, 51.7, 64.9, and 55.0% and an E. coli positive signal for 16.1, 14.8, 17.3, and 13.4% of the 635 well water samples tested, respectively. Results showed that Colilert® is the most expensive method tested in terms of reactants, yet it is the easiest to use. Large numbers of atypical colonies were also often observed on Chromocult coliform® and DC with BCIG, thereby challenging the target microorganism count. Thus, the MI agar method seems to be the best option for the assessment of drinking water quality.


2008 ◽  
Vol 54 (6) ◽  
pp. 495-500 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Lévesque ◽  
D. Pereg ◽  
E. Watkinson ◽  
J.S. Maguire ◽  
L. Bissonnette ◽  
...  

Bermuda residents collect rainwater from rooftops to fulfil their freshwater needs. The objective of this study was to assess the microbiological quality of drinking water in household tanks throughout Bermuda. The tanks surveyed were selected randomly from the electoral register. Governmental officers visited the selected household (n = 102) to collect water samples and administer a short questionnaire about the tank characteristics, the residents’ habits in terms of water use, and general information on the water collecting system and its maintenance. At the same time, water samples were collected for analysis and total coliforms and Escherichia coli were determined by 2 methods (membrane filtration and culture on chromogenic media, Colilert kit). Results from the 2 methods were highly correlated and showed that approximately 90% of the samples analysed were contaminated with total coliforms in concentrations exceeding 10 CFU/100 mL, and approximately 66% of samples showed contamination with E. coli. Tank cleaning in the year prior to sampling seems to protect against water contamination. If rainwater collection from roofs is the most efficient mean for providing freshwater to Bermudians, it must not be considered a source of high quality drinking water because of the high levels of microbial contamination.


Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 1139
Author(s):  
Jannatul Ferdous ◽  
Rebeca Sultana ◽  
Ridwan Bin Rashid ◽  
Sabera Saima ◽  
Anowara Begum ◽  
...  

The aim of this study was to compare the water quality of piped-to-plot source water with point-of-drinking water in the households of a low-income urban area in Bangladesh. A total of 430 low-income households and 78 communal sources connected to these households were selected from the East Arichpur area of Dhaka. The water samples were collected from point-of-drinking vessels (household members’ preferred drinking vessels i.e., a mug, glass, or bottle) in households and from linked sources at six-week intervals between September 2014 and December 2015. Water samples were processed using standard membrane filtration and culture methods to quantify E. coli. Analysis of paired data from source and point-of-drinking water collected on the same day showed that fecal contamination increased from source to point-of-drinking water in the households in 51% (626/1236) of samples. Comparison between bottles vs. other wide-mouth vessels (i.e., glasses, mugs, jugs) showed significantly lower odds (p = 0.000, OR = 0.58, (0.43–0.78)) of fecal contamination compared to other drinking vessels. The findings suggest that recontamination and post-treatment contamination at the point of drinking play a significant role in water contamination in households. Hygiene education efforts in the future should target the promotion of narrow-mouth drinking vessels to reduce contamination.


2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 138-147
Author(s):  
S. L. Afegbua ◽  

The Sustainable Development Goal on sanitation aims to achieve universal access to good health, affordable drinking water, sanitation and an end to open defeacation by 2030. The recent ranking of Nigeria as first globally for open defecation is of public and environmental health concern. This study assessed the sanitary condition and the microbiological quality of well and surface waters of Panhauya community and Ahmadu Bello University farm, Zaria, and the antibiogram of the bacterial isolates.. Based on the WHO criteria, the sanitary inspection showed that 16.7%, 54.2%, 25% and 4.2% of the water sampling points had a very high, high, intermediate and low risk of contamination respectively. Occurrence of Escherichia coli, Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba histolytica, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella spp and Vibrio cholerae in water samples from Panhuaya community was 87.5%, 75%, 68.8%, 50%, 25% and 12.5% respectively. In ABU farm Shika, the occurrence was; E. coli (75%), E. histolytica (63%), G. lamblia and Salmonella spp. All E. coli isolates exhibited high multidrug resistance to antibiotics screened with a MAR index of 0.3-0.8. The drinking water sources in Panhuaya and ABU farm were unsafe and the presence of these pathogens in the water samples may be attributed to a number of factors including poor sanitation, manure application and open defecation practice. This indicates a public health risk to the residents and emphasises the need for safe water supplies sanitation and antibiotic stewardship. Keywords: Well water; surface water; sanitary inspection; open defecation; water-borne pathogens; Zaria.


2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 275-288 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammed A. Usman ◽  
Nicolas Gerber ◽  
Evita H. Pangaribowo

Abstract This study aims at assessing the determinants of microbiological contamination of household drinking water under multiple-use water systems in rural areas of Ethiopia. For this analysis, a random sample of 454 households was surveyed between February and March 2014, and water samples from community sources and household storage containers were collected and tested for fecal contamination. The number of Escherichia coli (E. coli) colony-forming units per 100 mL water was used as an indicator of fecal contamination. The microbiological tests demonstrated that 58% of household stored water samples and 38% of protected community water sources were contaminated with E. coli. Moreover, most improved water sources often considered to provide safe water showed the presence of E. coli. The result shows that households' stored water collected from unprotected wells/springs had higher levels of E. coli than stored water from alternative sources. Distance to water sources and water collection containers are also strongly associated with stored water quality. To ensure the quality of stored water, the study suggests that there is a need to promote water safety from the point-of-source to point-of-use, with due considerations for the linkages between water and agriculture to advance the Sustainable Development Goal 6 of ensuring access to clean water for everyone.


2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 564-571
Author(s):  
Krista Vandermeer ◽  
Robert Dreibelbis ◽  
Daniel Obote Akoko ◽  
Richard D. Rheingans

The effectivenss of pot chlorination to continously treat shallow wells in a peri-urban community in Kisumu, Kenya, was evaluated. A total of 30 shallow wells used by local residents were identified. Half were randomly allocated to be treated by pot chlorination, while the remainder served as the control group. Residual free chlorine (RFC) and the presence of Escherichia coli (E. coli) were measured in all wells before chlorination and at repeated intervals over a 14-day period. Although there was a reduction in E. coli levels in the intervention wells post-chlorination, there was no difference in the percentage of wells in each group meeting WHO drinking water guidelines of 0 E. coli CFUs/100 ml on day 7 (p = 0.444) or day 14 (p = 0.188). While the intervention was associated with a statistically significant improvement in the percentage of chlorinated wells meeting the WHO guidelines for RFC of at least 0.5 mg/l (41.7%) compared to control wells on day 7 (p = 0.010), by day 14 there was no detectable difference between the two groups (p = 0.444). Pot chlorination of the shallow wells in this study did not improve the microbiological quality of well water to WHO drinking water standards and was not effective in maintaining the recommended RFC required for continuous disinfection.


2013 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Margareth R. Sapulete

Abstract: Water is a vital requirement for all living creatures. Standards for monitoring drinking water and clean water for other uses are rare. Besides that, water sources such as wells are contaminated by many pollutants. According to the laboratory results conducted by the Tuminting Public Health Centre, wells used in the Tuminting District, Manado, have experienced E. coli contamination. The aim of this research was to identify factors associated with E. coli in the water of wells in the Tuminting District. The method used in this research was descriptive analysis. Through interviews and checklists of wells’ owners, primary data were collected and then laboratory examinations of well-water samples were carried out. Secondary data were collected from the Health Department of Manado, and the Health Centre and the District Office of Tuminting. We used 30 water samples by simple random sampling of 67 wells. Data were analyzed through univariate and bivariate correlation tests. The results showed that E. coli in well water used by the public in the Tuminting District exceeded the standard of clean water according to the Regulations of the Ministry of Health Republic of Indonesia No.416/MENKES/PER/IX/1990 and of drinking water according to the Decree of Health Ministry No. 907/MENKES/SK/VII/2002. Moreover, there was a significant relationship between the distance of wells to septic tanks and the E. coli contents in well water. We suggest that the government improve the construction of wells and septic tanks, provide qualified water supply, and introduce the usage of chlorine to achieve clean water and a better all round health status for the Tuminting public. Keywords : water, wells, E coli, septic tank     Abstrak: Air merupakan kebutuhan vital bagi semua mahluk hidup. Standar monitoring air minum maupun untuk penggunaan lainnya masih jarang. Selain itu, sumber air seperti sumur telah dicemari oleh berbagai polutan. Hasil pemeriksaan laboratorium yang dilaksanakan oleh Puskesmas Tuminting  menunjukkan bahwa sumur gali di kelurahan Tuminting  telah tercemar Esherichia coli. Tujuan penelitian untuk mendapatkan faktor-faktor yang berperan terhadap pencemaran E. coli dalam air sumur kelurahan Tuminting.  Metode penelitian yang digunakan yaitu deskriptif analitik. Data primer dikumpulkan melalui wawancara dengan pemilik sumur gali dengan menggunakan check list, dilanjutkan dengan pemeriksaan laboratorium terhadap sampel air sumur gali. Data sekunder diambil dari Dinas Kesehatan Kota Manado serta Puskesmas Tuminting dan Kantor Kelurahan Tuminting. Sampel ditentukan dengan metode simple random dan diperoleh 30 sampel air dari 67 sumur gali. Data dianalisis secara univariat dan bivariat dengan menggunakan uji korelasi. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa kandungan E. coli dalam air sumur gali yang digunakan oleh masyarakat di Kelurahan Tuminting melebihi standar baku mutu air bersih sesuai dengan Peraturan Menteri Kesehatan RI Nomor 416/MENKES/PER/IX/1990 maupun dari air minum sesuai dengan Keputusan Menteri Kesehatan RI Nomor 907/MENKES/SK/VII/2002. Selain itu terdapat hubungan yang bermakna antara jarak sumur gali ke septic tank dan kandungan E. Coli dalam air sumur gali. Disarankan kepada pihak pemerintah daerah untuk melakukan perbaikan konstruksi sumur gali maupun septic tank, menyediakan air bersih yang memenuhi syarat kesehatan, dan sosialisasi kepada masyarakat tentang penggunaan air bersih dan kaporisasi. Kata Kunci: air, sumur gali,  E. coli, septic tank


Author(s):  
Kaboré Aminata ◽  
Savadogo Boubacar ◽  
Jacques Sawadogo ◽  
Kafando Haoua ◽  
Tarnagda Grissoum ◽  
...  

Microbiological quality of drinking water in market gardening sites was assessed to understand the persistence of diarrhoeal diseases and malnutrition among children under five. Households with children under five (5) were selected in Dassa, Nebia, Nariou and Tanguin-wobdo located in centre-ouest region in Burkina Faso. A total of 140 water samples were collected from storage containers in households (n=108), boreholes (n=7) and hand dug wells (n=25) during the month of February 2018. Faecal coliforms, Escherichia coli (E. coli) and faecal streptococci were isolated and enumerated according French standard methods. WHO standards guidelines for drinking water were used to assess water quality. Results showed that 100% of hand dug well water were contaminated with faecal bacteria whereas all water from boreholes were potables. 72% of hand dug well water were contaminated with E. coli, 96.3% with faecal coliforms and 96% with faecal streptococci. In households, 95.9% of drinking water from boreholes were contaminated with faecal bacteria versus 100% of water from hand dug wells. This situation is related to the lack of safe drinking water infrastructures, unimproved sanitation and lack of hygiene in households. In fact, 78.12% of water infrastructures were hand dug wells located mostly in gardens. In these areas, contaminated hand dug well water are used for both irrigation and consumption. Regarding these results, a reinforcement of safe drinking water infrastructures such as boreholes, improved hygiene and sanitation and health education are necessary to improve the quality of drinking water to reduce diarrhoeal diseases and malnutrition among market gardeners’ children.


Author(s):  
Baye Sitotaw ◽  
Molla Nigus

Abstract Despite drinking water supply in Kobo town is from a borehole through pipes, a high incidence of waterborne diseases are frequently reported. Hence, this study aimed to assess the bacteriological and physicochemical drinking water quality in Kobo town. One hundred and twenty water samples were collected from four sampling sites (the source, reservoir, taps, and households' containers) from February to April 2020. Total and fecal coliforms were counted from the water samples using membrane filtration while selected physicochemical parameters were determined using standard methods. The mean counts of total and fecal coliforms ranged from 3.9 to 22.9 and 1 to 13.6 CFU/100 mL, respectively. Hence, all water samples did not satisfy the WHO guidelines and national standards. There were statistically significant differences in the coliform counts between the different sampling sites, and the counts were significantly higher in the taps and households' containers compared to the counts in the source and reservoir (p < 0.05). All physicochemical parameters, except for temperature, were within the recommended acceptable limits. High coliform count in the water system demands proper maintenance of the distribution line and good hygiene practices at household level to improve the microbiological quality of drinking water in Kobo town.


1993 ◽  
Vol 27 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 267-270 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. T. Augoustinos ◽  
N. A. Grabow ◽  
B. Genthe ◽  
R. Kfir

A fluorogenic β-glucuronidase assay comprising membrane filtration followed by selective enumeration on m-FC agar at 44.5°C and further confirmation using tlie 4-metliylumbelliferyl-β-D-glucuronide (MUG) containing medium was evaluated for the detection of Escherichia coli in water. A total of 200 typical blue and non-typical blue colonies were isolated from sea and fresh water samples using initial selective enumeration on m-FC agar. Pure cultures of the selected colonies were further tested using the MUG assay and identified using the API 20E method. Of the colonies tested which were shown to be positive using the MUG assay 99.4% were Escherichia coli. The results of this study indicate the combination of the m-FC method followed by the MUG assay to be highly efficient for the selection and confirmation of E. coli from a wide range of environmental waters.


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