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An Investigation into the Microbiological Quality of Groundwater in an Industrial Hub in Mid-Hills of Northern India

Ajay Kumar Singh1 * , Satish Kumar Bhardwaj2 , Rajeev Kumar Aggarwal2 , Sunita Devi3 and Amit Guleri4

1 Department of Health and Family Welfare, Solan, Himachal Pradesh India

2 Department of Environmental Science, College of Forestry, YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, Himachal Pradesh India

3 Department of Basic Sciences, YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, Himachal Pradesh India

4 Department of Economics and Sociology. Economist (QM), College of Basic Sciences and Humanities, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab India

Corresponding author Email: ajaysingh7279@gmail.com

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.12944/CWE.18.3.16

Frequent water-borne disease outbreaks affecting human health have been reported in district Solan, which is a rapidly industrialing region of Himachal Pradesh, a northern state of India. For ascertaining the cause, microbiological assessment of drinking groundwater sources of the region was undertaken. For this, thermotolerant coliform study and genome typing were undertaken. Multiple tube fermentation technique was employed in selected five sources to detect thermotolerant coliforms during the seasons of monsoon and post-monsoon in the years 2018-19. Thermotolerant coliforms varied in Most Probable Number from 2-34 per 100 ml water indicating contaminated water sources, densities being significantly more in monsoon months (p< 0.05). Four different coliform morphotypes were obtained from all the sources on Eosin Methylene Blue plates. Of these, the only strain, designated as Nalagarh Water Strain (NGW), was recovered from all sources, suggesting its prevalence. Based upon biochemical and morphological attributes, the strain was recognized as Escherichia coli. Conversely, molecular characterization (16S rRNA ribotyping) identified it as Raoultella planticola (GenBank accession No. MK318824). The strain was deposited in a National Culture Collection Centre, National Centre for Microbial Resources, Pune, Maharashtra (India) with deposition accession number MCC 4064 for future utility in public research activities. Microbiological assessment evinced contaminated drinking water sources, probably causing diarrhoeal diseases. 16S rRNA ribotyping assisted in correct identification of the microorganism.

Drinking water; Outbreaks; Thermotolerant coliforms; Water-borne disease; Water quality

Copy the following to cite this article:

Singh A. K, Bhardwaj S. K, Aggarwal R. K, Devi S, Guleri A. An Investigation into the Microbiological Quality of Groundwater in an Industrial Hub in Mid-Hills of Northern India. Curr World Environ 2023;18(3). DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.12944/CWE.18.3.16

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Singh A. K, Bhardwaj S. K, Aggarwal R. K, Devi S, Guleri A. An Investigation into the Microbiological Quality of Groundwater in an Industrial Hub in Mid-Hills of Northern India. Curr World Environ 2023;18(3).

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