Environmental Geology and Hazardous Waste Management Lab Report 2016-GE-42

Lab # 08
To estimate the microbiological contamination fecal coliform
in ground and surface water samples by using Paqualab.

Objective:
In this lab we will find the colonies of bacteria on the filter paper using paqualab apparatus.
Microbiological contamination of water is due to the presence of bacteria and fungi in water.
Apparatus:
 paqualab apparatus
 filter paper
 water samples
 steel containers
Who standards:
 coliform = 0 mg/l.
 fecal bacteria =0 mg/l
Reagent:
 Laurel sulphate
Related theory:
Paqualab
The Paqualab is a portable testing system for monitoring key drinking water parameters on site.
The system is capable of performing chemical, biological and physical tests, including:
-pH -Temperature -Conductivity -TDS, -Turbidity -Chlorine -Ammonia -Nitrates -Nitrites -Fecal
Coliforms -Total Coliforms
A manual vacuum filtration unit allows a measured sample to be drawn through a sterile gridded
membrane filter, and then applied to an absorbent pad, which has been pre-soaked in a
membrane lauryl sulphate medium and held within a reusable aluminum petri dish. The sample
pad is then incubated in a portable incubator compartment.
Up to 50 dishes can be simultaneously incubated in two separate compartments at +37˚C or
+44˚C depending on method (chambers are individually switchable). Components and
consumables for up to 200 tests in total are included (ELE, 2020).
 Environmental Geology and Hazardous Waste Management Lab Report 2016-GE-42

Figure 8.1 Paqualab

Coliform bacteria
Coliform bacteria are organisms that are present in the environment and in the feces of all warm-
blooded animals and humans. Coliform bacteria will not likely cause illness. However, their
presence in drinking water indicates that disease-causing organisms (pathogens) could be in the
water system. Most pathogens that can contaminate water supplies come from the feces of
humans or animals. Testing drinking water for all possible pathogens is complex, time-
consuming, and expensive. It is relatively easy and inexpensive to test for coliform bacteria. If
coliform bacteria are found in a water sample, water system operators work to find the source of
contamination and restore safe drinking water. There are three different groups of coliform
bacteria; each has a different level of risk. If total coliform bacteria are confirmed (at least 2
samples with coliform bacteria present) in your drinking water, your water system should be
inspected to find and eliminate any possible sources of contamination. Once the source is
identified, it can usually be resolved by making system repairs, flushing, and adding chlorine for
a short period of time (DOH, 2020).

Figure 8.2 Coliform bacteria

Total coliform
Total coliform bacteria are commonly found in the environment (e.g., soil or vegetation) and are
generally harmless. If only total coliform bacteria are detected in drinking water, the source is
probably environmental. Fecal contamination is not likely. However, if environmental
 Environmental Geology and Hazardous Waste Management Lab Report 2016-GE-42

contamination can enter the system, there may also be a way for pathogens to enter the system.
Therefore, it is important to find the source and resolve the problem (DOH, 2020).
Coliform
Coliforms are bacteria that are always present in the digestive tracts of animals, including
humans, and are found in their wastes. They are also found in plant and soil material.
Most bacteria in the coliform group do not cause disease, but the greater their number the
greater the likelihood that disease-causing bacteria may be present. Since coliform
bacteria usually persist in water longer than most disease-causing organisms, the absence
of coliform bacteria leads to the assumption that the water supply is microbiologically safe
to drink. Therefore, the drinking water standard requires that no coliform bacteria be
present in drinking water. Fecal coliform and E. coli bacteria should also be totally absent
from drinking water (Coliform Bacteria, 2020).

Fecal coliform
Fecal coliform are the group of the total coliforms that are considered to be present specifically
in the gut and feces of warm-blooded animals. Because the origins of fecal coliforms are more
specific than the origins of the more general total coliform group of bacteria, fecal coliforms are
considered a more accurate indication of animal or human waste than the total coliforms.  Fecal
coliforms are types of total coliform that mostly exist in feces. E. coli is a sub-group of fecal
coliform. Confirmation of fecal coliform bacteria or E. coli in a water system indicates recent
fecal contamination, which may pose an immediate health risk to anyone consuming the water
(DOH, 2020).

Figure 8.3 Fecal coliform

Procedure
 Boil 1.05 g of Laural Sulphate in 30 ml of water at 121oC.
 This was poured on the White Pad for every sample.
 Now every sample water was passed through filter paper.
 Now the filter paper was placed on their respective white pads.
 These samples were then placed in the stand of the Paqua Lab and stored for 24 hours.
 When examined after 24 hours, different bacterial colonies of different color
 appeared on the filter paper.
 Environmental Geology and Hazardous Waste Management Lab Report 2016-GE-42

Observations and calculations

Sample taken by: Sample tested by:
Name: M Khurrum Name: Rabia Basry
Date: 2-2-2020 Date: 3-2-2020
Latitude: 18.6155N Sample depth: 300feet
Longitude: 73.7654E Source: Munshi Hospital (bund road)
Table 1: Observation Table

Sample Sample No. of Bacteria WHO Remarks

Sr. location ID
No Colony

01 Near Khan Colony Lahore NKC-01 0 Drinkable

02 Kalma chowk Lahore KC-02 0 Drinkable
03 Q-Hall UET Lahore QH-03 0 Drinkable
04 Taj Bagh Lahore TB-04 0 Drinkable
06 Sheikhpura SKP-06 0 Drinkable
07 PSO pump near UET PSO-07 0 Drinkable
08 PSO pump near UET PSO-08 0 Drinkable
09 Hafizabad H-09 0 Drinkable
11 Township Lahore TS-11 0 Drinkable
13 Johar town Lahore JT-13 0 Drinkable
14 Baghbanpura Lahore B-14 0 Drinkable
15 Phase 2 Johar town JT-15 0 Drinkable
16 Malokay qila qalar wala MK-12 0 Drinkable
17 Ferozwala FR-17 0 Drinkable
18 Shadra Lahore S-18 0 Drinkable
20 UET Bachelor society UETB-20 0 Drinkable
21 Peethy Walk Gali Lahore PWG-21 0 Drinkable
22 Johar Town JT-22 0 Drinkable
23 Majoke MJ-23 0 Drinkable
24 Singhpura SP-24 0 Drinkable
25 Nagina Chowk JT-25 0 Drinkable
26 Gosha e Ahbab Lahore GA-26 0 Drinkable
27 Township Lahore TS-27 0 Drinkable
28 Peethy Walk Gali Lahore PWG-28 0 Drinkable
30 Baghbanpura Lahore B-30 0 Drinkable
31 Gulgasht colony Multan GUL-31 0 Drinkable
32 Chungi Amar Sidhu CAS-32 0 Drinkable
33 A-3 Johar town Lahore JT-33 0 Drinkable
35 Hafizabad H-35 0 Drinkable
36 Peoples colony Gujranwala PC-36 0 Drinkable
37 Harbanspura HP-37 0 Drinkable
38 Garhi Shahu Lahore GS-38 0 Drinkable
 Environmental Geology and Hazardous Waste Management Lab Report 2016-GE-42

39 Gosha e Ahbab Lahore GEA-39 0 Drinkable

41 Duraghawala D-41 0 Drinkable
42 Munshi Hospital Bund road MH-42 0 Drinkable
43 Gujranwala G-43 0 Drinkable
44 Raiwind Road ST-44 0 Drinkable
45 NCA College GM-45 0 Drinkable
46 Mughalpura Lahore MP-46 0 Drinkable
47 Main Manhala road MM-47 0 Drinkable
48 NCA College NCA-48 0 Drinkable

Discussion
Fecal coliform bacteria should be totally absent from drinking water as it is can cause so
many diseases. After performing the tests on water samples we have, we can say that the
water is free from environmental contamination and safe to use because no of bacteria
colony obtained is zero percent.

Conclusion
From above values we can conclude that the microbiological contamination as fecal coliform
from group of bacteria is 0% in water obtained from borehole, making it drinkable according to
WHO standards. So the environment is clean and water is safe to use.

References
ELE. (2020). Retrieved from
https://www.techxlab.org/solutions/ele-international-paqualab-portable-incubators-and-filtration-
unit
DOH. (2020). Retrieved from
https://www.doh.wa.gov/CommunityandEnvironment/DrinkingWater/Contaminants/Coliform#:
~:text=Coliform%20bacteria%20are%20organisms%20that,be%20in%20the%20water%20syst.
Coliform Bacteria. (2020). Retrieved from
https://extension.psu.edu/coliform-bacteria
MedicineNet. (2020). Retrieved from
https://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=18521