Comparative assessment of the relationship between coliform bacteria and water geochemistry in surface and ground water systems

Abstract

The occurrence of pollution indicator bacteria (total and faecal coliform) has been used as a sanitary parameter for evaluating the quality of drinking water. It is known that these indicators are associated with disease causing organisms which are of great concern to public health. This study assessed the relationship between coliform bacteria and water geochemistry in surface and ground water systems in the Tarkwa mining area using logistic regression models. In surface water sources, higher values of chloride (OR = 0.891, p<005), phosphates (OR = 0.452, p<0.05), pH (OR = 0.174, p<0.05) and zinc (OR = 0.001, p<0.05) were associated with lower odds of faecal coliform contamination. In groundwater sources, higher values of phosphates (OR = 0.043, p<0.001), total dissolved solids (OR = 0.858, p<0.05), turbidity (OR = 0.996, p<0.05) and nickel (OR = 6.09E-07, p<0.05) implied non-contamination by faecal coliform. However, higher values of electrical conductivity (OR = 1.097, p<0.05), nitrates (OR = 1.191, p<0.05) and total suspended solids (OR = 1.023, p<0.05) were associated with higher odds of faecal coliform contamination of groundwater sources. Nitrates and total suspended solids, in this case, were completely mediated by the heavy metals. For total coliform in surface water systems, higher values of magnesium (OR = 1.070, p<0.05) was associated with higher odds of total coliform contamination while higher values of phosphates (OR = 0.968, p<0.05) was associated with lower odds of total coliform contamination although the presence of heavy metals completely mediated these relationships. For ground water systems, higher values of pH (OR = 0.083, p<0.05), phosphates (OR = 0.092, p<0.05), turbidity (OR = 0.950, p<0.05) and chloride (OR = 0.860, p<0.05) were associated with lower odds of total coliform contamination. However, higher values of total suspended solids (OR = 1.054, p<0.05) and nitrates (OR = 1.069, p<0.05) implied contamination of total coliform in ground water sources. The relationship between nitrates and total coliform were mediated by the heavy metals. This study establishes the need to monitor, manage and remediate surface and ground water sources for potential disease causing microbes in ways that takes into consideration the factors that create different conditions in the two water systems. This study validates the usefulness of statistical models as tools for preventing surface and ground water contamination.

Examining the dynamics of the relationship between water pH and other water quality parameters in ground and surface water systems

“…When biological factors were accounted for in the surface water model, both faecal and total coliforms showed significant association with pH. Interestingly, total coliforms were associated with optimal pH values while faecal coliform were associated with non-optimal water pH, a similar observation was reported by Aram et al [ 39 ]. This further implied that total coliform bacteria survival is much favored in optimal pH conditions.…”

Nonenzymatic hydrolysis of 1,2:3,4‐diepoxybutane: A kinetic study including pH, temperature, and ion effects

“…The most prevalent anion (nucleophile) in the surface water, groundwater, and soil water is HCO 3 − and its typical concentration ranges between 100 and 1000 mg L −1 (0.0016–0.016 M). The other major anions, SO 4 2− , NO 3 − , Cl − , H 2 PO 4 − /HPO 4 2− , are present at the concentrations below 0.005 M, 39–42 which are lower than those analyzed in Table 3. Also, SO 4 2− and NO 3 − exhibit very low basicity as they derive from relatively strong acids.…”

“…Therefore, it can be anticipated that the general catalysis from anions in natural fresh waters will have negligible contribution into the DEB hydrolysis. In addition, the pH of surface water, groundwater, and soil water (pH 4–9) falls into the region of the neutral DEB hydrolysis (Figure 2), making the pH and temperature the crucial factors governing the compound stability 39,41–44 . The results of our prediction shown in Table 4 reveal that depending on the temperature of fresh waters that are met in the environment, the half‐life of DEB ranges from 2 days at 30°C to 31 days at 0°C.…”

“…Also, SO 4 2− and NO 3 − exhibit very low basicity as they derive from relatively strong acids. In addition, CO 3 2− anions, which rendered the strongest acceleration of the DEB hydrolysis, are present in the mentioned waters at submicromolar concentrations 39–42 . Therefore, it can be anticipated that the general catalysis from anions in natural fresh waters will have negligible contribution into the DEB hydrolysis.…”

Water quality analysis of pucang river, sidoarjo regency to control water pollution

“…Analysis of total Coliform bacteria in Pucang River water showed that the most extensive total coliform in 2018 was POS 2 of 281 MPN/100 ml, in 2019 from POS 1–7 the results were the same at 0.014 MPN/100 ml, in 2020, the largest was POS 5 and 7 of 920 MPN/100 ml (Exhibit 14). The group of coliform bacteria is one indicator of domestic waste contaminants in the waters (Aram et al., 2021). Coliform bacteria can transmit several diseases through water, especially stomach diseases such as typhoid, cholera, and dysentery.…”