Assessment of the prevalence of faecal coliforms and Escherichia coli o157:h7 in the final effluents of two wastewater treatment plants in Amahlathi Local Municipality of Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

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dc.contributor.advisorGreen, Een
dc.contributor.advisorOkoh, Anthony Ien
dc.contributor.authorAjibade, Adefisoye Martinsen
dc.date.accessioned2026-08-12T23:25:38Z
dc.date.available2026-08-12T23:25:38Z
dc.date.issued2014en
dc.description.abstractThe production of final effluents that meet discharged requirements and guidelines remain a major challenge particularly in the developing world with the resultant problem of surface water pollution. This study assessed the physicochemical and microbiological qualities of two wastewater treatment works in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa in terms of the prevalence of faecal coliforms and Escherichia coli O157:H7 over a five month period. All physicochemical and microbiological analyses were carried out using standard methods. Data were collected in triplicates and analysed statistically using IBM SPSS version 20.0. The ranges of some of the physicochemical parameters that complied with set guidelines include pH (6.7 – 7.6), TDS (107 – 171 mg/L), EC (168 – 266 μS/cm), Temperature (15 – 24oC), NO3- (0 – 8.2 mg/L), NO2- (0.14 – 0.71 mg/L) and PO4 (1.05 – 4.50 mg/L). Others including Turbidity (2.64 – 58.00 NTU), Free Cl (0.13 – 0.65 mg/L), DO (2.20 – 8.48 mg/L), BOD (0.13 – 6.85 mg/L) and COD (40 – 482 mg/L) did not comply with set guidelines. The microbiological parameters ranged 0 – 2.7 × 104 CFU/100 ml for FC and 0 – 9.3 × 103 for EHEC CFU/100 ml, an indication of non-compliance with set guidelines. Preliminary identification of 40 randomly selected presumptive enterohemorrhagic E. coli isolates by Gram’s staining and oxidase test shows 100% (all 40 selected isolates) to be Gram positive while 90% (36 randomly selected isolates) were oxidase negative. Statistical correlation between the physicochemical and the microbiological parameters were generally weak except in the case of free chlorine and DO where they showed inverse correlation with the microbiological parameters. The recovery of EHEC showed the inefficiency of the treatment processes to effectively inactivate the bacteria, and possibly other pathogenic bacteria that may be present in the treated wastewater. The assessment suggested the need for proper monitoring and a review of the treatment procedures used at these treatment works.en
dc.format123 leaves; 30 cmen
dc.formatpdfen
dc.identifier.citationAjibade, Adefisoye Martins. 2014en
dc.identifier.othervital:11283en
dc.identifier.otherhttp://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1016166en
dc.identifier.otherSewage disposal plantsen
dc.identifier.otherEscherichia coli -- South Africa -- Eastern Capeen
dc.identifier.otherEscherichia coli O157:H7en
dc.identifier.otherEscherichia colien
dc.identifier.otherEffluent quality -- Testingen
dc.identifier.otherWhole effluent toxicity testingen
dc.identifier.otherWater -- Purificationen
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11837/4543
dc.language.isoEnglishen
dc.publisherUniversity of Fort Hareen
dc.publisherFaculty of Science & Agricultureen
dc.rightsUniversity of Fort Hareen
dc.subjectSewage disposal plantsen
dc.subjectEscherichia coli -- South Africa -- Eastern Capeen
dc.subjectEscherichia coli O157:H7en
dc.subjectEscherichia colien
dc.subjectEffluent quality -- Testingen
dc.subjectWhole effluent toxicity testingen
dc.subjectWater -- Purificationen
dc.titleAssessment of the prevalence of faecal coliforms and Escherichia coli o157:h7 in the final effluents of two wastewater treatment plants in Amahlathi Local Municipality of Eastern Cape Province, South Africaen
dc.title.alternativeAssessment of the prevalence of faecal coliforms and Escherichia coli o157:h7 in the final effluents of two wastewater treatment plants in Amahlathi Local Municipality of Eastern Cape Province, South Africaen
dc.typeThesisen
dc.typeMastersen
dc.typeMSc (Microbiology)en

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