BACTERIOLOGICAL QUALITY OF SACHET WATER SOLD WITHIN KADUNA METROPOLIS

1. BACTERIOLOGICAL QUALITY OF SACHET WATER
SOLD WITHIN KADUNA METROPOLIS
BY
MUSBAUDEEN KHADEEJAH
KASU/17/MCB/1032
SUPERVISED BY
MR. I. HAMZA
DECEMBER, 2022

2. INTRODUCTION
• Water of good drinking quality is of basic importance to human
physiology, and man’s continued existence depends very much on its
availability.
• Water is said to be portable when its physical, chemical and
microbiological qualities conform to specified standards. (Buchan,
2014).

3. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
• Water has always been a medium for the transmission of diseases.
Infectious disease caused by pathogenic bacteria, protozoa and viruses
are the most common and have wide spread health risk associated with
drinking water (Pelczar et al., 2016; WHO, 2015).

4. JUSTIFICATION
To give a general indication of sanitary condition of a water supply.
Little is known about the problem associated with this sachet water
which is so called “pure water” because some or even most are not
really portable and do not meet the standard of quality for drinking
water.

5. AIM
To determine the bacteriological quality of sachet water sold within
Kaduna metropolis.

6. OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this research are to:
1. perform coliform count;
2. isolate and identify the coliform bacteria and
3. carry out antibiogram on the isolated coliform bacteria.

7. METHODOLOGY
SAMPLE COLLECTION
STUDY AREA
SAMPLE PROCESSING
PHYSICO-CHEMICALANALYSIS OF WATER SAMPLE
PREPARATION OF MEDIA
BIOCHEMICAL TEST
COLIFORM
GRAM STAINING
ANTIBIOGRAM

8. RESULTS
Table 1: Total bacterial count and most probable number of coliforms per ml
Sample Code Total bacterial count
(CFU/ml)
Coliforms count
(MPN/ml)
SWA 2.8×102 6
SWB 4.0×102 16
SWC 3.0×102 1
SWD 1.0×102 5
SWE 4.5×102 9

9. Table 2: Physicochemical parameters of water samples
Sample pH Temp
(℃)
SWA 5.30 28
SWB 4.52 19
SWC 7.32 24
SWD 5.10 25
SWE 14.0 22

10. TABLE 3: Morphological and Biochemical characterization of bacteria isolated
from the sachet water samples
Microscopic
characteristics
Cultural
Characteristics
Gram
Reaction
Biochemical Tests Suspected Isolate
Cat Coag Indole Citr MR VP
Gram negative
short rods
Large, blue-black
colonies, often with a
green metallic sheen on
EMB
- + - - + + + Escherichia coli
Gram negative
short rods
Large, blue-black
colonies, often with a
green metallic sheen on
EMB
- + - - + + + Escherichia coli
Gram negative
short rods
Large, blue-black
colonies, often with a
green metallic sheen on
EMB
- + - - + + + Escherichia coli
Gram negative
short rods
Large, blue-black
colonies, often with a
green metallic sheen on
EMB
- + - - + + + Escherichia coli

11. Table 4 Antibiotic Inhibition Spectrum of bacteria isolated from sachet water samples
Antibiotics Susceptibility Mean Zone of Inhibtion
(mm)
Interpretation
Pefloxacin (10µg) ≥24 13.0 Resistant
Gentamycin (10µg) ≥15 11.0 Resistant
Ampiclox (30µg) ≥13 4.0 Resistant
Zinnacef (20µg) ≥18 16.0 Resistant
Amoxicillin (30µg) ≥20 10.0 Resistant
Ciprofloxacin (10µg) ≥21 16.0 Resistant
Rocephin (25µg) ≥21 15.0 Resistant
Streptomycin (30µg) ≥15 17.0 Susceptible
Septrin (30µg) ≥15 15.0 Susceptible
Erythromycin (10µg) ≥23 13.0 Resistant

12. DISCUSSION
Sachet water is widely taken by all sections of the population in Nigeria. None of the seven sachet-water samples analysed in this study have pH
below the WHO standard for drinking water (NAFDAC, 2004). They were also all odourless and clear, in line with WHO requirements (NAFDAC,
2004). The temperature ranged between 19℃ and 25 ℃, this parameter is one of the most important parameters for aquatic environment because
almost all the physical, chemical and biochemical are temperature dependent (Edema et al., 2011).
The pH values observed for the water samples were between 4.52 and 7.58, these values are the non permissible levels of SON, NAFDAC (6.50-
8.50), and WHO (6.50-9.50). pH values lower than 6.5 can lead to corrosion of pipes causing release of metals like Zinc, Lead and copper in water
samples, high pH on the other hand can increase scale formation in heating vessels, reduce the bactericidal effect of Chlorine (Onuh and Isaac ,
2009).
Occurrence of bacteria was recorded in all of the sachet-water samples. The total bacterial counts were higher than what is stipulated to be acceptable
for portable water (1.0 x 101 cfu/ml) (NAFDAC, 2004). This study also showed the presence of pathogenic bacteria in 60% of the sachet water
samples that were analysed. WHO standard stated that there must be no pathogenic bacteria in portable water (NAFDAC, 2004). The bacteria
characterized and identified from the sachet water samples E.coli were found mostly to be opportunistic pathogens which are usually isolated from
unhygienic environments or materials (Bitton, 2005). Reports on studies of sachet water from different locations recorded the occurrence of these
bacteria. Onifade and Ilori (2008) encountered Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus in sachet water samples vended in Ondo
State.

13. CONCLUSION
Physiochemical parameters of sachet water samples analysed in this
study are not within safe limits (portable drinking water), and total
heterotrophic bacterial counts reported in all water samples are higher
than the WHO permissible drinking water standards, according to the
findings. Escherichia coli, was found in most of the water samples
examined. Hence, routine monitoring of producers of sachet water
should be enforced to ensure adherence to drinking water standard.

14. RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Commercialization of drinking water is inevitable considering the increasing
population of the country. Therefore, the production and distribution of
commercial sachet-packed water in Nigeria requires increased attention and
heavy monitoring by the regulatory agencies.
2. However, there is an urgent need to effectively communicate the risks associated
with consumption of sachet packed water of unacceptable microbial quality to
the populace.

15. REFERENCE
Buchan BW1, Ledeboer NA (2014). Emerging technologies for the clinical microbiology
laboratory, Clinical Microbiology.27 (4):783-822.
Figueras MJ1, Borrego JJ. (2015). New perspectives in monitoring drinking water microbial
quality. Int J Environ Res Public Health.7(12):4179-202. 10.
NAFDAC. (2014) (National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control)
Consumer safety bulletin 2 (2).
Owusu-Ansah D. (2016). Quality of sachet water sold in the techiman municipality, African
journal of biotechnology, 12(1), 5-7.
Yusuf, Y. O., Jimoh, A. I., Onaolapo, E. O., Dabo, Y. (2015). An assessment of sachet water
quality in Zaria Area of Kaduna State, Nigeria. Journal of Geography and Regional
Planning, 8(7), 174 - 180.

16. THANK YOU