An assessment of water quality and occurrence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in Naauwpoortspruit River, Mpumalanga province, South Africa

Decreasing surface water quality in South Africa has become an issue of concern as the population grows, industrial and agricultural activities expand, and environmental pollution increases. Wastewater treatment plants and other anthropogenic activities are liable for releasing raw and inadequately treated effluents into the surface water. Extensive pollution accompanied by the use of disinfectants, pesticides, and other chemical pollutants has been attributed to increased antimicrobial resistance in bacteria such as Escherichia coli in surface water, increasing environmental antibiotic resistance spread. The research aimed to determine water quality and prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in Naauwpoortspruit River, eMalahleni, Mpumalanga Province. Five sampling sites were selected along the Naauwpoortspruit River and monitoring was done for seven consecutive months. Samples were collected and analysed for physicochemical, microbiological parameters, and susceptibility profile of antibiotic-resistant bacteria using standard methods. Pearson correlation analysis was used to assess the path and strength of the relationship between physicochemical and microbiological parameters in the study area. Results of physicochemical and microbial parameters showed variation throughout the selected study sites. The results revealed a pH range of 4.45 – 7.9 and electrical conductivity levels range of 58.63 - 113.3 mS/m for the different sampling sites during the study period with lower levels detected during the winter period and higher levels in the summer period. Also, water samples showed a high total dissolved solids levels range of 381.1 – 736.45 mg/L and biochemical oxygen demand range of 67.1 – 168 mg/L for the different sampling sites during the study period. The Naauwpoortspruit River had higher levels of ammonia of 33.4 mg/L at Point A during the winter period as compared to 15 mg/L in the summer period. Heavy metals results showed that mercury range of 0.01 – 0.065 mg/L and copper range of 0.001 – 0.0035 mg/L were not compliant with aquatic ecosystem guidelines at all selected sites throughout the study period. The foremost finding of this study was that E. coli were present in all the selected sites at concentrations (>100 cfu/100ml). Elevated concentrations of 5.4 x 103 and 4.2 x 103 cfu/100ml for the total and faecal indicator bacteria were detected from sites downstream to 2.2 x103 and 2.35 x103 cfu/100ml for sites upstream river, in the rainy months. During the dry season, total coliforms, and faecal coliforms concentration of 0.4 x103 to 0.65 x 103 cfu/100ml were detected downstream and 0.25 x 103 and 0.5 x 103 cfu/100ml from upstream, respectively. The physicochemical and microbiological parameters measured at selected sites exceeded acceptable limits and proved unsuitable for applications such as full and intermediate recreational activities, and aquatic ecosystems. The variation in physicochemical parameters results was influenced by both natural processes and human activities such as salinity and Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) within the Naauwpoortspruit River. Using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method, E. coli and faecal coliforms were tested for resistance to antibiotics; ampicillin (10 μg/ml), kanamycin (30 μg), streptomycin (30 μg), chloramphenicol (30 μg), erythromycin (15 μg), ox tetracycline (30 μg), erythromycin (15 μg/ml) and norfloxacin (10 μg). More than 60% of faecal coliform were resistant to at least four of the tested antibiotics and between 60 - 80% of the E. coli isolates were resistant to β lactam. The highest microbial antibiotic resistance (MAR) index value was observed at Site D (0.38 for E. coli) which showed multi-antibiotic resistance. Site D is characterized by wastewater treatment, power generation industries, and agriculture activities. The highest level of MAR observed at Site D indicates the need to control extensive pollution and constantly monitor the changing trends in antimicrobial resistance patterns of these waterborne pathogens. Statistical analysis showed that the development of microbiological parameters loads has a strong correlation with physicochemical parameters due to the association of sampling sites in the river environment. This study shows that the aquatic ecosystem needs constant monitoring to establish their conditions, impacts of pollution activities within the catchment, and input information into sustainable management of the water resources.

Environmental Sciences

M. Sc. (Environmental Science)