Assessment of Microbial Quality of Irrigated Cabbage with Wastewater in Laelay Maychew and Tahtay Maychew Woreda’s of Aksum, Tigrai, North Ethiopia

Abstract

Wastewater can be defined as water that has been badly affected in quality by anthropogenic effect and the possible origin can be from domestic, industrial, commercial or agricultural activities, surface run off or storm water and from drain inflow or infiltration. Quality of water and other food can be checked by the presence of Coliform bacteria because these bacteria are the predominant indicators. The purpose of this study was to determine the microbial quality of irrigated cabbage with wastewater in Laelay Maychew and Tahtay Maychaw woredas of Aksum by checking the Coliform bacteria’s load as the farmers use wastewater for irrigation to cultivate different vegetables. A total of four samples were taken randomly using glass bottle and 11.05x10⁸cfu/m/ of coli form was isolated using MacConkey Agar. Samples were directly transported to Aksum university department of biology laboratory and processed within five hours. Eosin, methylene blue agar Levine (EMB), MacConkey Agar was used for the detection of the samples. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the data. 100% of the irrigated cabbage were positive for coliform bacteria. Typically, the non-lactose fermenter gram negative coliform bacteria such as Citrobacter and Hafnia. Both were appeared as colorless on MacConkey Agar. A total of 9.7x 10⁶cfu/ml coliform bacteria form two samples that were collected from Laelay Maychew woreda Sofho Keble and 10.77x10⁷cfu/ml from two samples of Tahtay Maychew woreda Ade’eko kebele. A minimum of 2.8x10⁵cfu/ml and maximum of 6.2 x 10⁶cfu/ml coliform bacteria were recorded. The study has confirmed high bacterial load on the irrigated cabbage, so it needs further investigation for specific microbial identification and water treatment should be applied.

Keywords: E.coli, coliform, wastewater, cabbage, Tahtay Machew, Laelay Machew

Cite this Article

Kebede, Haftom, Fikru,  Eyerusalem, Kebede Haile et al. Assessment of Microbial Quality of Irrigated Cabbage with Wastewater in Laelay Maychew and Tahtay Maychew Woreda’s of Aksum, Tigrai, North Ethiopia. Research & Reviews: Journal of Microbiology and Virology. 2016; 6(3): 42–48p.