http://drw.jfn.ac.lk/handle/123456789/46 2026-05-12T16:17:58Z http://drw.jfn.ac.lk/handle/123456789/392 Evaluation of the microbial and coliform contamination during dry and rainy seasons in water samples collected from some selected hospitals Birunthai, R.; Kirupahari, S.; Vasantharaba, S.; Balakumar, S.; Arasaratnam, V. he greatest risk from microbes in water is associated with consumption of drinking-water that is contaminated with human and animal excreta, although other sources and routes of exposure may also be significant. The aims of the present studies were to evaluate the microbial contamination of drinking water and the examination of the coliform occurrence in some selected hospitals during dry and wet seasons. For this study one General hospital, one Base Hospital and three District Hospitals situated in Jaffna peninsula were selected. General Hospital, obtains the water supply through municipal council and from one of the well situated in the hospital. Water from municipal counes supply contaminated statistically non significant (p>0.05) number of cells during dry season than the standard level prescribed by Sri Lankan Standard (100 colonies/mL) and contained more counts during wet season. The well water supply contained statistically significant (p<0.05) number of cells during dry and wet seasons. In Base Hospital, there is one dug well and three tube wells. Dug well water and tube wells water contained statistically significant (p<0.05) number of cells during both seasons than that defined by Sri Lankan Standard. Of the three District Hospitals, in the first hospital (Hospital C, there is one dug well dug well and a tube well. Both water supplies for drinking purpose contained significantly (p<0.05) high number of aerobes during dry season and wet season. In the second District hospital (Hospital D), Water for human consumption is obtained from water board supply and Rain water harvest. The water supplied by water board contained statistically non supuificant (p>0.05) amount of acrobes than the standard level during dry season and statistically significant (p>0.05) during wet season while the rain water harvest contained the aerobic contamination lower than that prescribed by Sri Lankan Standard during dry season and had non significant (p>0.05) amount of aerobic contamination during wet season. In District Hospital 3 (Hospital E), the water sample contained statistically significant (p<0.05) number of counts than the standard level during both seasons. The water samples collected from all the hospitals from different sites contained no anaerobic bacterial contamination. In coliform presumptive test analysis, in General Hospital positive result observed during both seasons in well water supply, in Base Hospital during wet season positive result were observe in all well water samples, in District Hospital 1 (Hospital C) positive result observed in canteen supply during dry season while tube well supply showed positive results during wet season, in District Hospital 2 (Hospital D) no positive results were observed during both seasons, positive results were observed in the well water sample in District Hospital 3 (Hospital E during wet season. In all the weater samples the pH ranged from714-7.68 during dry season while 6.76-7.44 during wet season. Water samples did not show any signified optical density at 550 and 600 mm. 2008-01-01T00:00:00Z http://drw.jfn.ac.lk/handle/123456789/391 Evaluation of the microbial and coliform contamination during dry and rainy seasons in water samples collected from some selected markets Birunthai, R.; Kirupahari, S.; Vasantharaba, S.; Balakumar, S.; Arasaratnam, V. Water is unsafe for human consumption when it contains pathogenic, or disease causing microorganisms. The aims of the present studies were to evaluate the microbial contamination of drinking water and the examination of the coliform occurrence in some selected markets during dry and wet seasons. For this study Maruthanarmadam, Kokuvil, Jaffna town, Thirunelvely, Kalviyangadu public markets were selected. The water collected from Maruthanarmadam market well contained aerobic microbial contamination which is non significant (p>0.05) than the standard level (100 colonies/mL) prescribed by Sri Lankan Standard institution during dry season while during wet season contained significantly (p<0.05) high number of contamination. The water collected from Kokuvil market well significantly (p<0.05) high number of cells during dry and wet seasons. The water collected from the Jaffna town market well had non significant (p>0.05) number of cells than the standard level during dry season while significant (p<0.05) number of cells than the standard level during wet season. The water obtained from Thirunelvely market contained non significant (p>0.05) number of colonies during dry and wet seasons. The water obtained from Kalviyangadu market contained non significant (p>0.05) number of cells during both seasons. All the samples contained no anaerobic organisms. In coliform presumptive test analysis, the water collected from Kokuvil market only showed positive result in gas formation during wet season. The pH of the water samples falls in the range of 6.81-7.35. Optical density measuremt of the samples showed any marked variation at 550 and 600nm. 2008-01-01T00:00:00Z http://drw.jfn.ac.lk/handle/123456789/385 Physico-Chemical Analysis of Bottled Drinking Water Available in Jaffna Peninsula Sasikaran, S.; Sritharan, K.; Balakumar, S.; Arasaratnam, V. More than thousands of bottled drinking water is sold in the Jaffna peninsula (19L, 5L, 1.5L, IL & 0.5L). People rely on the quality of bottled drinking water. In this study, attempts were made to evaluate the quality of sold bottled drinking water by physical (Total Dissolved Solid, Electrical conductivity, and pH) and chemical (Nitrate and Calcium) analysis. Bottled drinking water from 22 brands was selected which include one brand produced in Jaffna and others brought from out of Jaffna. The quality of bottled drinking water sold in Sri Lanka is regulated by SLS that the recommended and Electrical conductivity, Total Dissolved Solid, and pH range of bottled water should be 750 µS/cm, 1000mg/L, and 6.5 to 8.5 respectively. Minerals found in bottled water recommended by Sri Lankan Standard (SLS) such as Nitrate and Calcium contents are 50 and 100mg/L respectively. The entire bottled drinking water brands, which are sold in Jaffna, have very low electrical conductivity compared with SLS (750 µS/cm) and varied from 12 to 253 µS/cm with a mean of 80.53 (+60.92) µS/cm. The pH values of the bottled drinking water brands varied from 4.11 to 7.58. Only 9.09% of the bottled drinking water brands contained a pH value above the minimum permitted level (6.5) by Sri Lankan Standard. The Total Dissolved Solid content of the bottled drinking water brands was very low and varied from 9 to 123.67 mg/L with a mean of 39.5 (+30.23) mg/L. The calcium content of the bottled drinking water brands was low and varied from 6.48 to 83.77 mg/L with a mean of 49.9 (+25.09) mg/L. The nitrate content of the bottled drinking water brands was low and varied from 0.21 to 4.19 mg/L with a mean of 1.26 (+1.08) mg/L. Therefore all the drinking water brands supplied in the Jaffna peninsula have different amounts of physical properties and chemical contents that are the low and high amount which does not satisfy Sri Lankan Standards. So, RDHS (Regional Director of Health Service) should consider the specific amount of physical properties and chemical contents in bottled drinking water supplied in the Jaffna peninsula. 2012-01-01T00:00:00Z http://drw.jfn.ac.lk/handle/123456789/233 Microbial analysis of bottled drinking water available in Jaffna Peninsula. Sasikaran, S.; Kirubahary, S.; Balakumar, S.; Arasaratnam, V. More than 20 brands of bottled drinking water are supplied in Jaffna peninsula. People rely on the quality of the bottled drinking water, expecting them to be free of microbial contamination which will not cause any health hazards. The greatest risk from microbes in bottled drinking water is contamination with human and animal excreta, although other sources and routes of exposure may also be significant. In this study, attempts were made to evaluate the quality of bottled drinking water by analyzing its microbial contamination. Bottled drinking water of 22 brands were selected which includes one brand produced in Jaffna and others were brought from out of Jaffna. When the different bottled drinking water brands were analyzed for microorganisms, aerobic bacterial count varied from 0 to 800 colony forming units per mL (cfu/mL). Approximately 63.6% of the bottled drinking water brands contained high amount of aerobic bacterial count than the minimum acceptable level (100 cfu/mL) recommended by the Sri Lanka Standards institution while none of them had anaerobic bacterial contamination. Among the 22 brands, 13.6% of bottled drinking water brands showed fungal contamination and 9.1% were contaminated with coliform bacteria. Out of the 22 brands of bottled drinking water, two (9.1%) contained faecal contamination. This was confirmed by analyzing for Escherichia coli and Klebsiella. The Brand C (Strain CI) had the Escherichia coli and brand D (Strains Dl and D2) had the Klebsiella. Therefore all the bottled drinking water brands supplied in Jaffna peninsula are not free from microbes. The RDHS (Regional Director of Health Service) should consider the monitoring of the drinking water brands supplied in Jaffna. 2012-01-01T00:00:00Z