The efficiency of a low-cost hydrogen sulphide (H2S) kit as an early warning test for assessing microbial rainwater quality and its correlation with standard indicators microorganisms
Abstract:Testing microbial quality of the harvested rainwater remains a challenge in many countries. The H2S test kit is a low-cost microbiological field-based test which can be used in areas where water testing facilities are limited. This study compares its efficiency with the standard indicators microorganisms in the detection of faecal contamination of rainwater in South Africa. A total of 88 rainwater samples were collected from various tanks in the Eastern Cape, South Africa over three months in 2016. The collect… Show more
“…The microbial water quality monitoring was based on the use of the H2S test kit and a cell-phone App. All consumables were purchased from the same suppliers and the H2S test kits were prepared using the general methodology of Luyt et al (2011) and Malema et al (2019). Those activities had been carried out in a microbiological laboratory in the Faculty of Pharmacy of Rhodes University, Makana Local Municipality before the lockdown began.…”
Section: Microbial Water Quality Monitoring and Volume Calibrationmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Angala et al 2019;Nqowana 2019). It is assumed in further text of this study that there is similarity in the monitoring performance of the H2S test kit and the standard indicator mcroorganisms in the detection of faecal contamination in the Makana municipal drinking water and the rainwater in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa (Malema et al 2019). The author reports the results of a one-location monitoring of microbial water quality just before and during the strictest phase of the COVID19 nationwide lockdown in South Africa.…”
Section: Introductionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…The H2S test kit is a viable tool to perform testing for faecal contamination of drinking water in areas where formal laboratory access is logistically a challenge (Luyt et al 2011;Tandlich et al 2014;Malema et al 2019). The correspondence rates, along with the rates false positive and false negative results, in the analysis of rainwater was recently published on by Malema et al (2019). Use of the kit in citizen science monitoring was also conducted previously (e.g.…”
Section: Introductionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Neal (2020) stated that a re-alignment of the priorities and functioning of the water sector, as well as uses of water in general, are a must. Parts of South Africa have been experiencing water quality problems since at least 2011 (Luyt et al 2011;Tandlich et al 2014;Malema et al 2019) and drought since at least 2015 (Monyela 2017). Previous studies by the author and his collaborators indicate that municipal potable/drinking water has suffered from faecal contamination in Makana Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa (Luyt et al 2011).…”
Section: Introductionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…The author has worked and collaborated with other researchers over the past decade on the development, usage and benchmarking of the H2S test kit against standard indicator microorganism test for microbial water quality (Luyt et al 2011;Tandlich et al 2014;Malema et al 2019). The H2S test kit is a viable tool to perform testing for faecal contamination of drinking water in areas where formal laboratory access is logistically a challenge (Luyt et al 2011;Tandlich et al 2014;Malema et al 2019). The correspondence rates, along with the rates false positive and false negative results, in the analysis of rainwater was recently published on by Malema et al (2019).…”
Personal hygiene and access to potable water, which is safe for human consumption, are critical to containing the COVID19 pandemic. Here monitoring results are reported for microbial quality of water samples from the municipal supply in Makana Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Access of the human population to sufficient volumes of potable water of required (microbial) quality has been a problem in this local municipality. Samples were taken just before and during 30 days of the strictest phase of the nation-wide lockdown, related to COVID19 in South Africa. Aim of this short communication was to perform the water quality testing with limited to no access to laboratory facilities and using the principles of citizen science. The H2S test kit was used as the basis for the microbial testing, while a cell phone app was used for the temperature monitoring. Five H2S test kit were used per sampling at the author’s house and the kits was developed for the microbial water quality assessment in isolated settings such as those for the lockdown. During the study, the ambient temperature ranged from 17 to 29 °C, with decreases below 18 °C occurring on three out of 12 sampling occasions. Thus the results of the H2S test kit might have been slightly influenced by the fluctuations of the ambient temperature. On 8 sampling occasions between 1 and 4 H2S test kits were positive for faecal contamination. Three samples or 25 % were free of faecal contamination. One sample had all five H2S test kits were positive for faecal contamination. Results of statistical testing indicated that potable water in Makana Local Municipality was probably microbially contaminated at the author’s household on an intermittent basis. Ongoing monitoring of microbial drinking water quality is necessary and continuing at the sampled location.
“…The microbial water quality monitoring was based on the use of the H2S test kit and a cell-phone App. All consumables were purchased from the same suppliers and the H2S test kits were prepared using the general methodology of Luyt et al (2011) and Malema et al (2019). Those activities had been carried out in a microbiological laboratory in the Faculty of Pharmacy of Rhodes University, Makana Local Municipality before the lockdown began.…”
Section: Microbial Water Quality Monitoring and Volume Calibrationmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Angala et al 2019;Nqowana 2019). It is assumed in further text of this study that there is similarity in the monitoring performance of the H2S test kit and the standard indicator mcroorganisms in the detection of faecal contamination in the Makana municipal drinking water and the rainwater in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa (Malema et al 2019). The author reports the results of a one-location monitoring of microbial water quality just before and during the strictest phase of the COVID19 nationwide lockdown in South Africa.…”
Section: Introductionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…The H2S test kit is a viable tool to perform testing for faecal contamination of drinking water in areas where formal laboratory access is logistically a challenge (Luyt et al 2011;Tandlich et al 2014;Malema et al 2019). The correspondence rates, along with the rates false positive and false negative results, in the analysis of rainwater was recently published on by Malema et al (2019). Use of the kit in citizen science monitoring was also conducted previously (e.g.…”
Section: Introductionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Neal (2020) stated that a re-alignment of the priorities and functioning of the water sector, as well as uses of water in general, are a must. Parts of South Africa have been experiencing water quality problems since at least 2011 (Luyt et al 2011;Tandlich et al 2014;Malema et al 2019) and drought since at least 2015 (Monyela 2017). Previous studies by the author and his collaborators indicate that municipal potable/drinking water has suffered from faecal contamination in Makana Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa (Luyt et al 2011).…”
Section: Introductionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…The author has worked and collaborated with other researchers over the past decade on the development, usage and benchmarking of the H2S test kit against standard indicator microorganism test for microbial water quality (Luyt et al 2011;Tandlich et al 2014;Malema et al 2019). The H2S test kit is a viable tool to perform testing for faecal contamination of drinking water in areas where formal laboratory access is logistically a challenge (Luyt et al 2011;Tandlich et al 2014;Malema et al 2019). The correspondence rates, along with the rates false positive and false negative results, in the analysis of rainwater was recently published on by Malema et al (2019).…”
Personal hygiene and access to potable water, which is safe for human consumption, are critical to containing the COVID19 pandemic. Here monitoring results are reported for microbial quality of water samples from the municipal supply in Makana Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Access of the human population to sufficient volumes of potable water of required (microbial) quality has been a problem in this local municipality. Samples were taken just before and during 30 days of the strictest phase of the nation-wide lockdown, related to COVID19 in South Africa. Aim of this short communication was to perform the water quality testing with limited to no access to laboratory facilities and using the principles of citizen science. The H2S test kit was used as the basis for the microbial testing, while a cell phone app was used for the temperature monitoring. Five H2S test kit were used per sampling at the author’s house and the kits was developed for the microbial water quality assessment in isolated settings such as those for the lockdown. During the study, the ambient temperature ranged from 17 to 29 °C, with decreases below 18 °C occurring on three out of 12 sampling occasions. Thus the results of the H2S test kit might have been slightly influenced by the fluctuations of the ambient temperature. On 8 sampling occasions between 1 and 4 H2S test kits were positive for faecal contamination. Three samples or 25 % were free of faecal contamination. One sample had all five H2S test kits were positive for faecal contamination. Results of statistical testing indicated that potable water in Makana Local Municipality was probably microbially contaminated at the author’s household on an intermittent basis. Ongoing monitoring of microbial drinking water quality is necessary and continuing at the sampled location.
The current paper is aimed at investigating some quantitative and qualitative data, as well as their implications for the space/place/time perspective in terms of fire disaster management in Makana Local Municipality. The working hypothesis of the current article is that fire-fighting under drought conditions will post severe challenges on the disaster risk management system (DRM) in the study area. Methodology of the article includes a combination of document analysis, modelling using the Google-related tools to track and statistically analyse the public interest in fires, the legislation, and financial/practical implications of the drought on fire disaster management in Makana Local Municipality. Results of the study indicate that there has been a constant and increasing trend in terms of the South African public's in fires. That trend is driven by interest in fire-fighting equipment and possible also by the interest of the South African population in fire-fighting as a career. On causality front, the interest in fires is quantitatively driven by number of fires in South Africa between 2004 and 2017, as well as access to the internet by the South African population.
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