Resumen de Microorganisms in water for daily consumption on Luis Vargas Torres Island in the city of Esmeraldas
Karen Carolina Chila García
, Evelin Alexandra Zúñiga Sosa, José M. Piguave Reyes
Introduction: microbiological analysis of water involves evaluating water quality in terms of identification and presence of pathogenic and non-pathogenic agents to ensure that the water is safe for daily human use and consumption.
Objetive: to identify the microorganisms in the water for daily consumption in the families living on Luis Vargas Torres Island in the city and province of Esmeraldas.
Method: a cross-sectional quantitative analytical study was carried out on 121 water samples from reservoirs and taps selected through simple random probability sampling using sterile Whirl-Pak® bags with sodium thiosulfate for sample collection. In the laboratory analysis, the membrane filtration technique with a uniform diameter of 0.45 μm was used to obtain the bacteria on the surface of the membrane filter, which were inoculated in differential culture media for fungi and bacteria and in all cases the count was performed by the Most Probable Number (MPN) method. The final data were consolidated in an Excel table for the final elaboration of frequency tables and graphs.
Results: of the total samples analyzed, E. coli was identified in 20 %, Salmonella spp. 10 % and Shigella spp. 4 %; and total coliforms such as Citrobacter spp. and Klebsiella spp. present in 8 %, Enterobacter spp. in 6 % and Pseudomona spp. 2 % indicators of fecal contamination and fungi such as Mucor spp. represents 2 %, Penicilum spp. and Aspergillus fumigatus 3 % and Alternaria alternata and Absidia spp. 4 % and 5 % respectively.
Conclusions: research on microbiological water contamination in unplanned urban communities reveals the presence of pathogens and drinking water quality indicators, such as fungi, total coliforms, and species-specific species such as E. coli, Salmonella spp., and Shigella spp., indicating fecal contamination. These findings highlight the urgent need for sanitation and hygiene interventions in this community to effectively manage water quality and health risks
