This study was carried out to assess the Physicochemical and Bacteriological qualities of borehole water sources in Gokana Local Government Area, Rivers State, Nigeria. Twenty (20) boreholes were used for the study and a total of sixty (60) water samples were collected for bacteriological analyses. All the Physicochemical parameters were measured in situ using Horiba Water Checker (Model-10). Heterotrophic Plate Count, Most Probable Number technique and Eijkman test were used for the enumeration, isolation and identification of bacteria. All analyses for Physicochemical parameters were within the acceptable limits (pH: 6.3 to 7.7; Temperature: 27 to 30; Turbidity: 0.61 to 2.01). Bacteriological quality was higher than the World Health Organisation standard recommended limits. The detection of bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus and Klebsiella species in the borehole water sources that are intended for human consumption could cause one to think that water from those sources may lead to severe health risks to consumers. Hence, it is not suitable for direct human consumption without treatment. Therefore, it is recommended that onsite treatment intervention be mobilised in order to protect residents of Gokana LGA of Rivers State, Nigeria from further possible consequences of using the borehole water sources.
Background: Gastritis is an inflammation of the protective lining of the stomach which has been a global burden in the past decades. It can be caused by irritation, excessive alcohol use, chronic vomiting, stress, or the use of certain medications such as aspirin or other anti-inflammatory drugs. It may also be caused by Helicobacter pylori- a gram-negative, microaerophilic, spiral (helical) bacterium usually found in the stomach. Methodology: A cross-sectional, hospital-based study aimed at determining the prevalence rate of Helicobacter pylori amongst patients presenting with presumptive gastritis was carried out at gastroenterology clinic of Rivers State University Teaching Hospital Port Harcourt. Two hundred and forty two (242) male and female participants were recruited randomly for the study, their stool samples were analyzed using On Site H. pylori antigen® (USA) and fecal occult blood (ROSTEC™) Rapid Diagnostic Test Kits, while characteristics and symptoms for gastritis were assessed with pretest questionnaires. Data generated from this study were statistically analyzed using MS Excel 2007 and represented in charts and tables. Results: The prevalence rate of H. Pylori was found to be 55% in Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH) with a higher prevalence among females than males and an increase in prevalence but decline above 49 years. Conclusion: H. pylori testing should be regarded as an important aspect in clinical practice to help in treatment and better eradication of the infection in patients; this will lead to a significant decrease in gastritis in patients of different age group whether with symptoms or asymptomatic.
Introduction: Certain kitchen utensils used for food preparation can present significant risk because they are manufactured with materials such as aluminum, stainless steel and enamel that can be hazardous or contaminate food when heated. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the microbial and heavy metals found in leachates from some cooking utensils subjected to heating. Methodology: A total of four aluminum and stainless steel cooking pots were used and seven hundred and fifty (750) millilitres of tap water was boiled for 15 minutes to 30 minutes in each of the pots at boiling point of 100°C. The analyses of the water samples for bacteria were carried out using the conventional standard procedures of isolating and identifying bacteria. The physicochemical parameters were quantified with the APHA method whereas the Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) was used for the determination of heavy metals. Results: The results showed that Pseudomonas spp and Staphylococcus spp were isolated from some of the water samples that were not boiled while the boiled water showed no bacteria growth. The physicochemical parameters of the water samples before boiling were pH 5.36 to 7.41, temperature 30.7°C to 31.0°C, turbidity 0.04 to 1.41NTU, total dissolve solids 50.0 to 114.9 mg/l and others, while the presence of heavy metals such as Lead (Pb), Zinc (Zn), Iron (Fe), Cadmium (Cd) and Chromium (Cr) were detected in leachates from the pots subjected to heating. The values obtained were higher in leachates from pots that were heated for longer period. The oldest pot of thirty (30) years had a value of 0.0175±0.0007 mg/l to 0.0275±0.0021 mg/l for Zn while the value for Cd was 0.1110±0.0014 to 0.1245±0.0007 mg/l and the values for the newest pot was 0.0505±0.0021 to 0.0775±0.0035 mg/l for Pb and 0.0455±0.0248 mg/l to 0.0515±0.0191 mg/l for Cr. Conclusion: Cadmium values in all the pots exceeded the control and World Health Organization (WHO) recommended values. It may be concluded that heavy metals leached out into water and food from some pots when heated for longer periods and this may become one source of exposure of heavy metals into the human body that may bioaccumulate to create health problems.
Background: The present study was carried out to assess the antimicrobial effect of honey on bacterial isolates from sachet water sold within Eligbolo Community in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Methodology: Five brands of sachet water commonly consumed by the people living in Eligbolo Community of Port Harcourt, Nigeria were purchased from different Vendors in the community. Nutrient and MacConkey agar plates were used for culturing of water samples using spread plate method. Ten-fold serial dilution and Most Probable Number (MPN) were among the methods used and the samples analyzed were according to standard procedures. Natural honey purchased from Ogbokolo in Benue State, Nigeria was used for susceptibility testing. Quality control, ant inhibition and water test methods were performed using the honey to confirm its originality before use. Antimicrobial sensitivity testing was done using the agar well diffusion method. Results: Results obtained showed the bacterial isolated from the 5 sachet brands of water. These include Bacillus species 5 (62.5%), Enterococcus faecalis 1 (12.5%), Staphylococcus epidermidis 1 (12.5%), and Escherichia coli 1 (12.5%). All of the 5 sachet water samples analyzed failed to meet the WHO drinking water standard of zero coliform per 100 ml making them unsuitable for human consumption. Faecal coliform was isolated from sample C indicating faecal contamination of the drinking water. The sensitivity of the isolates to the honey sample showed higher zone of inhibition compared to the standard antibiotic used as control. Staphylococcus epidermidis showed the highest zone of inhibition (39 mm), followed by Escherichia coli (37 mm), Bacillus species (35 mm) and Enterococcus faecalis (32 mm) respectively. Conclusion: The results revealed that honey has a broad antimicrobial spectrum against Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria and could provide alternative agent to overcome the problem of increasingly bacteria resistance to synthetic antimicrobial agents. It is therefore, recommended that further work should be encouraged for the extraction of the crude components of honey and their use for antibiotic production.
Groundwater being the water present beneath the earth surface is a fresh water source due to its lower tendency to be polluted but stand the risk of contamination in recent times due to increase in industrialization, population and poor waste management. Hence the heavy metal assessment of groundwater around waste management sites in Rivers State, Nigeria was carried out. The ground water samples were collected from three locations Iwofe, Igwuruta and Oyigbo all in Rivers state for heavy metals and microbiological analysis using the American Public Health Association (APHA) methods and standard method of culturing, isolating and identification using biochemical tests and Gram staining. The obtained results were compared alongside World Health Organization (WHO), Federal Environmental Protection Agency permissible limits (FEPA). The results showed that there was significant bacteria presence in the groundwater of selected areas and it also showed that heavy metals were also present in the water. The study of heavy metals and microbiological assessment of this groundwater samples suggest that a proper and an advanced waste management practices should be put in place to curb ground water contamination.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.