Bacteriological quality and Escherichia coli resistance from downstream water source of Kao-Ping river in the period September 1990-January 1991.
Ten sites along the downstream of the Kao-Ping river were allocated for monitoring water pollution. A total of 120 water samples were collected during the period between September 1990 to January 1991. The membrane filtration technique was used to detect total coliform (TC), faecal coliform (FC) and faecal streptococci (FS). The pH value, temperature and conductivity of water sources were also recorded. The results revealed that mean water temperature was 24.3 degrees C, with weak basic (pH 7.5) and high conductivity (578.5 microS cm-1). Evidence of faecal pollution was seen throughout the study period. The geometric mean count per 100 ml water ranged from 32,398 to 87,876 for TC, from 20,443 to 44,244 for FC and from 1,354 to 4,774 for FS. Meanwhile, a total of 185 strains of Escherichia coli were tested for their resistance to antibiotics and heavy metal ions. The tested isolates exhibited a high level of resistance to tobramycin (46.5%), Pb (79.5%), As (73.5%) and Hg (71.4%). Most antibiotic resistance strains were found to be simultaneously resistant also to heavy metal ions. This study demonstrated that Kao-Ping river is heavily contaminated with faecal indicator bacteria.
Lee
W L
WL
Department of Food Sanitation, Ta-Jan Pharmaceutical College, Ping-Tung, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Chen
C P
CP
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects*; D005618:Fresh Water; D008670:Metals / Q000494:pharmacology; D013624:Taiwan; D014871:Water Microbiology / Q000592:standards*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D008670:Metals