Comparative study of the level of bacterial/helminths contamination of vegetables produced from polluted and unpolluted irrigation site of Kano

Abstract

A comparative study was contaminations of five major crops (Lactuca veriso, Darcus carota, Solanum lycopersicum, Phylanthus amarus, Alium cepa) produced from polluted (industrial/residential effluents) Sharada and unpolluted (tube well water)Yarimawa using the method described by FAO, (1979). The result shows that the five crops, produced with polluted water viz, Lactuca veriso, Darcus carota, Solanum lycopersicum Phylanthus amarus, Alium cepa, had mean aerobic plate count of 2.0 x 10² cfu/g, 8.40 x 10² cfu/g , 1.13 x 10³ cfu/g , 5.8 x 10⁴ cfu/g cfu/g, 5.7 x 101 cfu/g, respectively, and all the five crops had mean coliform count of 180 MPN/g, while that of unpolluted water had mean aerobic plate count of of 1.22 x 10² cfu/g 5.1 x 10² cfu/g , 1.4 x 10² cfu/g, 1.43 x 10² cfu/g, 1.32 x 10¹ cfu/g respectively, and had mean coliform count of 30, 21,21, 21 and 21MPN/g respectively. The organisms isolated in all the crops produced with polluted water were E. coli, Salmonella sp, Shigella sp, S. aureus, Ascaris egg, Strongloides and Ancylostoma while E. coli, Shigella sp, S. aureus, wer the organisms isolated in the crops produced with unpolluted water, only Lactuca verosa and Solanum lycopersicum, shows the presence of helmiths in the crops produced with the unpolluted water.

Key words: Kano, Bacteria, Helminth, effluent, Yarimawa, Sharada