MICROBIOLOGICAL QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF SUDANESE COASTAL SEA-WATERS WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO PORT SUDAN AREA

Abstract

This study was carried out to evaluate faecal pollution in the
Sudanese coastal waters near Port Sudan by counting the most important
three bacterial indicators of faecal pollution of water which are total
coliform, faecal coliform and faecal streptococci using the multiple tube
technique to determine the most probable number of indicator bacteria in
100 ml sea water.
Fifty sea water samples were collected from 10 stations located along
the shore line of the Sudanese coastal waters near Port Sudan as well as
the inner waters of both Port Sudan and Suakin and from the open sea
water in about five km from Port Sudan.
The three indicator bacteria were present in all samples collected
from the shore line stations, but none of them was found in the 5 samples
collected from the open sea. High counts were observed in the samples
collected from the inner waters of Port Sudan in both Khour Salalab and
Khour Kilab which receive annually considerable amounts of fresh water
from the run–off from the land. The counts decreased when samples were
collected away from Port Sudan either to the south or north.
The study showed low counts of indicator bacteria in Suakin inner
waters than those of Port Sudan and the highest counts of the indicators
observed in this study were 180, 180 and 350 bacteria per 100 ml sea
water for total coliform, faecal coliform and faecal streptococci,
respectively.
In coastal waters it is difficult to determine the exact source of
pollution as many sources combine together, but in this case probably the
run-off from land might be the main source due to the high counts in the
inner waters which receive the run-off from land.