Abstract
Some Sachet water brands sold in Awka, Nigeria were assessed bacteriologically to confirm their compliance with the World Health Organization standard for drinking water. The temperature, pH, total bacterial count, total coliform count, faecal coliform count, faecal Enterococci count and Clostridium perfringens count were determined using standard techniques. The temperature values were 27-29℃; pH, 6.2-7.0; total bacterial count, 35-50cfu/ml; total colifom count, 4-20MPN/100ml; faecal coliform count, 0-10MPN/100ml; faecal Enterococci count, 0-5MPN/100ml while Clostridium perfringens were absent in all the brands assessed. The bacterial isolates were Escherichia coli (9.7%), Staphylococcus aureus (18.0%), Enterobacter aerogenes (17.5%), Bacillus cereus (14.6%), pseudomonas aeruginosa (20.1%), Proteus mirabilis (12.1%) and Enterococcus faecalis (8.0%). Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacter aerogenes, Bacillus cereus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis and Enterococcus faecalis were isolated from 66.67%, 46.67%, 40.00%, 33.33%, 53.33%, 26.67% and 20.00% respectively of the brands. The coliforms (27.2%) were the predominant of all the bacterial isolates in the samples. Most of the brands assessed were of poor bacteriological quality and are therefore unfit for drinking without adequate treatment. Routine monitoring of sachet water production and handling by regulatory bodies is commended to handling by regulatory bodies is recommended to safeguard the health of the consuming public.
Highlights
Air, water and food are the three basic necessities of life. 0humans can survive for about a month without food, a week without water and less than five minutes without air [1]
The total bacterial count ranged from 35cfu/ml to 50cfu/ml
The total coliform count was from 4MPN/100ml to 20MPN/100ml with Sample M having the highest count of 20MPN/100ml and Sample D having the lowest count of 4MPN/100ml
Summary
Water and food are the three basic necessities of life. 0humans can survive for about a month without food, a week without water and less than five minutes without air [1]. Water and food are the three basic necessities of life. 0humans can survive for about a month without food, a week without water and less than five minutes without air [1]. Water can exist as liquid, gas and solid. It occupies about 70% of the earth’s surface and is an essential commodity needed for the survival of humans, animals, plants and microorganisms. The growing population of most developing countries occur in urban areas making it possible to increase the water supply infrastructure as well as improve water supplies [3]. Water is a most important medium of illness and infant mortality in many developing countries and even in technologically more advanced countries [4]. The high prevalence of diarrhoea among children and infants can be traced to the use of unsafe water and unhygienic practices [5]
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