Studies on the longitudinal profile of the bacteriological quality of Aba River, Nigeria

The longitudinal profile of the bacteriological quality of Aba River at six sampling stations (UP, UW, AB, CW, RL and DS) along the river course was studied. There was an upstream downstream bacterial variations (P < 0.05) with UP showing initial lower counts (log10 3.08 cfu m1-1), while the maximum was observed at DS (log10 5.60 cfu m1-1). Three stations: UW, AB and DS showed increase in heterotrophic bacterial counts throughout the six months study period (Feb July). Stations CW and RL showed decrease in bacterial counts after the third-month (April) of the investigation. Ten bacterial genera were isolated and the most prevalent in all the stations included Staphylococcus sp., Pseudomonas sp., Escherichia coli and Micrococcus sp. Klebsiella sp., Streptococcus faecalis, Salmonella sp., Shigella sp., Bacillus sp. and Clostridium perfringens were not detected in UP station. Of all the sampling stations, AB and DS showed the greatest variation of isolates followed by CW and RL. Station AB showed the highest coliform counts (1.26 x 103 MPN 100m1-1) while the lowest was observed at UP (24 to 70 MPN 100m1-1). The high bacterial and or coliform counts obtained along the course of the river depicts the public health risk associated with the domestic use of the river water and the need to plan an adequate pollution control strategy for Aba River. Keywords: Longitudinal profile, Aba River, bacterial variation, bacteriological quality, pollution control strategy. (Global Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences: 2002 8(4): 471-476