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An Ecological Assessment of the Physico-chemical and Biological Water Quality in a Sub-urban Area in Cameroon: Case of the Ngoumou Rural Council

Received: 29 October 2019     Accepted: 23 November 2019     Published: 6 December 2019
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Abstract

In developing countries, most of the population does not have access to drinking water and is therefore subject to use groundwater and surface water for it’s domestic needs without taking into consideration it’s quality and health repercussions. This study seeks to assess the physicochemical and biological quality of water in some springs, wells and streams of the Ngoumou municipality in Cameroon. Several physico-chemical parameters coupled to biological variables were applied in the evaluation of the quality of these waters. The physicochemical quality was evaluated by standard methods for the monitoring of water quality. Biological analyses were performed by the direct method and the Zhiel-Neelsen method using a 40X and 100X optical microscope. The physico-chemical analysis reveals a low organic pollution and shows that these waters are acidic, lowly mineralized and presents low oxygen saturation. The biological quality revealed the presence the oocystic load of Cryptosporidium sp (872 oocysts/L), Cyclospora sp (224 oocysts/L) and Isospora sp (133 oocysts/L). Oocysts of Cryptosporidium sp (170oocysts/L) were identified in the aquatic system of the Ngoumou sub-urban area. Oocysts density was positively correlated with suspended solids, water color and turbidity. The presence of these organisms in this communal water system depicts faecal contamination. It is urgent to raise awareness on the protection of this precious natural resource and safe the population from rampant diarrheal diseases.

Published in International Journal of Natural Resource Ecology and Management (Volume 4, Issue 6)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijnrem.20190406.16
Page(s) 198-204
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2019. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Water Quality, Wells Springs, Streams, Oocysts, Pollution

References
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[3] Smith H. V. (2007). Cyclospora. Chapter 10. In: Simjee.
[4] S (ed) Foodborne Diseases. Humana Press, Totowa 12: 277-301. Ciçek M., Uçmak F. & Ozekinci T. (2011). Two diarrheacases caused by Cyclospora cayetanensis Microbiological. Bulletin. 2011; 45: 553-557.
[5] Abdelbaki C. & Bouklihacène F. (2007). Etude duphénomène de la dégradation des eaux souterraines du groupement urbain de Tlemcen, Revue des Energies Renouvelables, 10 (2): 257-263.
[6] Rodier J., Merlet N. & Lugube B. (2009). L’analyse del’eau. 9e edition, Dunod, Paris, 1526 p.
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[10] WHO. (2011). Relevéépidémiologiquehebdomadaire, WHO Library Cataloguing-in-Publication; 31: 325-340.
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[12] Ortega Y. R. & Sanchez R. (2010). Update on Cyclospora cayetanensis, a food-borne and Waterborne parasite. ClinicatMicrobiologie Revue.; 23 (1): 218-34.
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[14] Lainson R. (2005). The genus Cyclospora (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae), with a description of Cyclosporaschneiderin. sp. in the snake Aniliusscytalescytale (Aniliidae) from Amazonian Brazil - A review. Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz 100 (2): 103–110.
[15] Haas C. N., Meyer M. A. & Paller M. S. (1983). Microbial alterations in water distribution systems and their relationship to physical-chemical characteristics. Journal- AmericanWater Works Assoc., 75: 475-481.
[16] ZébazéTogouet S. H., Tuekam Kayo R. P., Boutin C., Nola M. &FotoMenbohan S., (2011). Impact de la pression anthropique sur l’eau et la faune aquatique des puits et sources de la région de Yaoundé (Cameroun, Afrique Centrale). Bulletin de la société d’Histoire Naturelle de Toulouse, 147: 27–41.
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  • APA Style

    Ngakomo Ananga Rose Pulcherie, Ajeagah Gideon Aghaindum, Zeinab Abou Elnaga, Ngassam Pierre. (2019). An Ecological Assessment of the Physico-chemical and Biological Water Quality in a Sub-urban Area in Cameroon: Case of the Ngoumou Rural Council. International Journal of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, 4(6), 198-204. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijnrem.20190406.16

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    ACS Style

    Ngakomo Ananga Rose Pulcherie; Ajeagah Gideon Aghaindum; Zeinab Abou Elnaga; Ngassam Pierre. An Ecological Assessment of the Physico-chemical and Biological Water Quality in a Sub-urban Area in Cameroon: Case of the Ngoumou Rural Council. Int. J. Nat. Resour. Ecol. Manag. 2019, 4(6), 198-204. doi: 10.11648/j.ijnrem.20190406.16

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    AMA Style

    Ngakomo Ananga Rose Pulcherie, Ajeagah Gideon Aghaindum, Zeinab Abou Elnaga, Ngassam Pierre. An Ecological Assessment of the Physico-chemical and Biological Water Quality in a Sub-urban Area in Cameroon: Case of the Ngoumou Rural Council. Int J Nat Resour Ecol Manag. 2019;4(6):198-204. doi: 10.11648/j.ijnrem.20190406.16

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijnrem.20190406.16,
      author = {Ngakomo Ananga Rose Pulcherie and Ajeagah Gideon Aghaindum and Zeinab Abou Elnaga and Ngassam Pierre},
      title = {An Ecological Assessment of the Physico-chemical and Biological Water Quality in a Sub-urban Area in Cameroon: Case of the Ngoumou Rural Council},
      journal = {International Journal of Natural Resource Ecology and Management},
      volume = {4},
      number = {6},
      pages = {198-204},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijnrem.20190406.16},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijnrem.20190406.16},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijnrem.20190406.16},
      abstract = {In developing countries, most of the population does not have access to drinking water and is therefore subject to use groundwater and surface water for it’s domestic needs without taking into consideration it’s quality and health repercussions. This study seeks to assess the physicochemical and biological quality of water in some springs, wells and streams of the Ngoumou municipality in Cameroon. Several physico-chemical parameters coupled to biological variables were applied in the evaluation of the quality of these waters. The physicochemical quality was evaluated by standard methods for the monitoring of water quality. Biological analyses were performed by the direct method and the Zhiel-Neelsen method using a 40X and 100X optical microscope. The physico-chemical analysis reveals a low organic pollution and shows that these waters are acidic, lowly mineralized and presents low oxygen saturation. The biological quality revealed the presence the oocystic load of Cryptosporidium sp (872 oocysts/L), Cyclospora sp (224 oocysts/L) and Isospora sp (133 oocysts/L). Oocysts of Cryptosporidium sp (170oocysts/L) were identified in the aquatic system of the Ngoumou sub-urban area. Oocysts density was positively correlated with suspended solids, water color and turbidity. The presence of these organisms in this communal water system depicts faecal contamination. It is urgent to raise awareness on the protection of this precious natural resource and safe the population from rampant diarrheal diseases.},
     year = {2019}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - An Ecological Assessment of the Physico-chemical and Biological Water Quality in a Sub-urban Area in Cameroon: Case of the Ngoumou Rural Council
    AU  - Ngakomo Ananga Rose Pulcherie
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    JF  - International Journal of Natural Resource Ecology and Management
    JO  - International Journal of Natural Resource Ecology and Management
    SP  - 198
    EP  - 204
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2575-3061
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijnrem.20190406.16
    AB  - In developing countries, most of the population does not have access to drinking water and is therefore subject to use groundwater and surface water for it’s domestic needs without taking into consideration it’s quality and health repercussions. This study seeks to assess the physicochemical and biological quality of water in some springs, wells and streams of the Ngoumou municipality in Cameroon. Several physico-chemical parameters coupled to biological variables were applied in the evaluation of the quality of these waters. The physicochemical quality was evaluated by standard methods for the monitoring of water quality. Biological analyses were performed by the direct method and the Zhiel-Neelsen method using a 40X and 100X optical microscope. The physico-chemical analysis reveals a low organic pollution and shows that these waters are acidic, lowly mineralized and presents low oxygen saturation. The biological quality revealed the presence the oocystic load of Cryptosporidium sp (872 oocysts/L), Cyclospora sp (224 oocysts/L) and Isospora sp (133 oocysts/L). Oocysts of Cryptosporidium sp (170oocysts/L) were identified in the aquatic system of the Ngoumou sub-urban area. Oocysts density was positively correlated with suspended solids, water color and turbidity. The presence of these organisms in this communal water system depicts faecal contamination. It is urgent to raise awareness on the protection of this precious natural resource and safe the population from rampant diarrheal diseases.
    VL  - 4
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    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Laboratory of Hydrobiology and Environment, Faculty of Science, University of Yaounde 1, Yaounde, Cameroon

  • Laboratory of Hydrobiology and Environment, Faculty of Science, University of Yaounde 1, Yaounde, Cameroon

  • Laboratory of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Mansoura, Mansoura, Egypt

  • Laboratory of Hydrobiology and Environment, Faculty of Science, University of Yaounde 1, Yaounde, Cameroon

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