Effect of Soil Types on Infiltration Pattern of Antibiotic Resistant Escherichia Coli From Hospital Wastewaters Into Surrounding Groundwater
Abstract
This study investigated the vulnerability of six groundwater sources to contamination by Escherichia coli using Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES) and standard Microbiological procedures. Hospital wastewater and groundwater samples were collected from five hospitals. VES was accomplished using Schlumberger electrode configuration. All and four of the wastewater and groundwater sources sampled were contaminated with E. coli. Bacterial isolates (n=118). Areas of lowest vulnerability to infiltration had clay overburden reflected by resistivity value of <100flm and 0% E. coli isolation, while highly vulnerable areas were underlain by sand or clayey sand. Results showed that groundwater sites underlain by coarse grained permeable soil strata were negatively impacted by unhygienically disposed hospital wastewater.
Keywords: Escherichia coli, Hospital wastewater, Multiple Antibiotic Resistance, Vertical electrical sounding