International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) ISSN: 2319-7064 ResearchGate Impact Factor (2018): 0.28 | SJIF (2018): 7.426 Volume 8 Issue 9, September 2019 www. ijsr. net Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY Assessment of Physicochemical Qualities, Heavy Metals Concentration and Bacterial Pathogens in Elechi Creek, Port Harcourt, Nigeria Constancy Prisca Aleru 1 , Kinikanwo Confidence Wachukwu 2 , Sam Douglas Abbey 3 , Smart Enoch Amala 4 , Christian Alfred Mbata 5 , Ollor Amba Ollor 6 Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Rivers State University, Nkpolu-Oroworukwo P. M. B.5080, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria Abstract: Escherichia coli is one of the most frequent causes of many common bacterial infections, such as urinary tract infection (UTI), cholangitis, diarrhoea, bacteraemia, neonatal meningitis and pneumonia. Assessment of physicochemical parameters, heavy metals and bacterial pathogens in Elechi Creek, Port Harcourt, Nigeria was carried out. Two hundred and ten (210) water samples were collected for the analysis of physicochemical parameters, heavy metals and bacterial detection (72, 18 and 120, respectively). The physicochemical parameters were carried out periodically and seasonally; periodic variations were carried out in the morning and evening hours, while the seasonal variations were carried out in November (the end of rainy season), April (the start of rainy season) and July (the middle of rainy season). The heavy metals were analysed only seasonally. Potential hydrogen (pH), Temperature, Salinity, Total dissolved solid (TDS), Dissolved oxygen (DO) and Biological oxygen demand (BOD) were the physicochemical parameters analysed. The results showed that all the parameters, except the Temperature fell within the recommended values. For example, in the mornings, the highest mean Temperature value was 29.33±0.21, while the highest mean values in the evenings ranged from 29.80±30.43±0.49. The highest mean values were obtained in the evening of April (30.43±0.49), followed by the evening of November (29.93±0.15). A significant difference was observed both in April and July (p=0.019; t=-3.836 and p=0.011; t=-4.427, respectively). The results obtained from the heavy metals (Cadmium, Mercury, Lead, Arsenic, Chromium and Nickel) analysis did not fall within the recommended values. According to the results of the Heterotrophic Plate Count (HPC), the highest mean values were obtained in the morning and evening of July (5.18 x (10 6 ) and 5.79 x (10 5 ), respectively). The highest HPC observed in July could be as a result of heavy rainfall during the season as erosion carries and empties every dirt in the water body. The amount of nutrients from dump sites located very close to the water body may have contributed to the high HPC. Coliforms were reported in this study and the highest number was observed in the evening of July, day 1 (21 MPN/100 ml). Escherichia coli was isolated from all the water samples, which was not within the standard recommended values of zero by World Health Organization (WHO). The antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed on 128 isolates of E. coli and the results revealed that all the isolates of E. coli were susceptible to Meropenem, Imipenem, Tigecycline, Amikacin, Ciprofloxacin and Colistin, while 28(21.71 %) isolates were resistant to Cefoxitin. The Multiple Drug Resistance (MDR) isolates were 11 (8.60 %). Isolates that showed Multiple Antibiotic Resistance Index (MARI) of 0.0 were 97 (75.78 %). However, the isolates that showed MARI of 0.1 and 0.2 were 10 (7.81%) for each. Keywords: Escherichia coli;Multiple Drug Resistance; Multiple Antibiotic Resistance Index; Seasonal; Periodic; Antibiotics; Heavy metals; Physicochemical parameters; Pollution; Water bodies; Antibiotics; Resistance 1. Introduction Water quality or the quality of water has to do with the biological, chemical and physical, as well as radiological characteristics of water (Diersong et al., 2009). These characteristics of water affect the aquatic life, such as plants and animals dwelling in the water environment (UNDESA, 2105). It has been observed that pollutants from different sources are introduced into the water bodies without proper treatment in order to get rid of the harmful materials. In 2005, Fakayo denoted that an industrial development regularly has to do with the generation of industrial effluents, which can bring about pollution of water bodies. Some researchers in Nigeria have observed that the concentrations of some heavy metals in water bodies are above the acceptable and permissible levels (Olayinka & Alo, 2004; Essoka & Umaru, 2006). When the concentration of heavy metals in water bodies is high, this could be toxic to the aquatic organisms; it could lead to a decline in fish and seafood population. The accumulation of heavy metals in aquatic food web is a potential threat to public health that is why they are regarded as priority pollutants. Increase in human activities in and around water bodies has been reported to affect aquatic environment (Ezeronye and Ubalua 2005; Obaroh et al., 2012). According research, E. coli is one of the normal flora of the gut of endotherms, which are warm blooded animals; however, some of the strains are pathogenic (Kaper et al., 2004). The pathogenic strains of E. coli are grouped into six and they are common worldwide. These pathotypes are Enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC), Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) or Enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC), Enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC), Enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) and diffusely adherent E. coli (DAEC) (Ali et al., 2014). The bacterium is known to cause gastrointestinal diseases, especially among children in developing countries (Koneman et al., 2006;Ali et al., 2014). The main mode of acquiring diarrhegenic infections caused by E. coli is via person-to-person transmission and consumption of water and food contaminated with the wastes of endotherms (Ali et al., 2014). Although, strains of E. coli have been reported by researchers in Nigeria, however E. coli strains isolated from Elechi Creek and evaluation for their antibiogram profiling have not been reported. This is the first report on isolates of Paper ID: ART20201009 10.21275/ART20201009 437