Microbiological and Physicochemical Properties of Ekpan River and Antibiotics Resistance Profile of Bacterial Isolates in Nigeria

Abstract

Physicochemical and microbiological properties of Ekpan creek in Warri, Delta State, and antibiotics resistance of bacterial isolates were carried out using standard methods from March to August, 2020. Mean Temperature (oC) was 27.38±0.24; Color (Pt-Co), Depth (m), Speed of flow (m/s) increased from Location 1- 4; pH value 6.27±0.09, Electrical conductivity 109.21±74.94µs/cm, calcium <0.001ppm and lead <0.001-0.002ppm and TDS 56.22±18.44ppm were within theWHO set standards. Turbidity (NTU), Total Dissolved Solids, Dissolved Oxygen, Calcium, Potassium, Manganese, Sulphates and Total nitrogen (ppm), Heterotrophic Bacterial, coliform and fungal counts (Log 10cfu/ml) decreased from Locations 1 and 2, increased in 3 and decreased again in 4; Water quality index (WDI) values of 46.1, 48.1 (Good quality water) 56.9, 63.2 (poor water quality) were observed for Locations 1 to 4 respectively. Mean Biological Oxygen Demand5 3.55±1.03 and Dissolved Oxygen 5.59±0.85 reduced from Location 1 to 4 and were above WHO set Standards. The coliform counts were above the WHO set the standard of 0/100ml in all the samples. Bacillus sp was isolated from locations 1- 4, Escherichia sp 1 – 3, and Staphylococcus sp in 4; Mucor sp was isolated in Locations 1, 2 and 4; Aspergillus sp 2, 4 while Penicillium sp and Rhizopus sp in Location 2. Strong correlations were observed amongst tested parameters, there was no statistically significant difference in parameters of the stations at 95% confidence level. Bacillus sp, Staphylococcus sp, and Escherichia sp were resistant to 8, 3, and 7 of the tested antibiotics with mean multi-Antibiotic Resistance Index (MARI) of 0.4, 0.3, and 0.5 respectively. The observed high coliform counts and presence of multidrug resistance among isolates are of great public health concern. Thus, the Ekpan creek water should be subjected to different treatments prior to use for domestic purposes to avert outbreak of water-borne diseases.