Hrvatske vode, Vol. 27 No. 109, 2019.
Original scientific paper
Persistence of coliform bacteria in spring water microcosms
Doris Iličić
; Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Goran Palijan
; Department of Biology, University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
Abstract
Mount Papuk is a geologically valuable area of the Republic of Croatia, with numerous natural springs hidden in its forests. In order to determine the quality of selected spring water, we carried out an investigation where we were determining the presence of coliform bacteria as the main indicators of water pollution. Additionally, we examined the survival possibility of deliberately added coliforms into the microcosms with quartz sand in laboratory conditions. After collecting and analysing samples from four selected springs (Jankovac, Kokočak (Vučenović), Muška voda and Žervanjska), the results showed that water from the spring Kokočak (Vučenović) was unsuitable for drinking due to increased total number of microorganisms and coliform bacteria, whereas the other tested springs were shown as suitable for human use. Furthermore, the spring Muška voda proved to be the spring with the highest quality of water, both with respect to tested parameters and survival inability of inoculated coliforms that persisted in the microcosms of the other springs. In order to verify the results, we repeated the investigation of the spring Muška voda. This time, the persistence of inoculated coliforms, including a larger increase in aerobic mesophilic bacteria in microcosmic condition, proved possible.
Keywords
spring water; bacteria; biofilm; microcosmos; Papuk
Hrčak ID:
226668
URI
Publication date:
30.9.2019.
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