TITLE:
Study of the Hydro-Chemical and Bacteriological Well Water Characteristics of M’Bahiakro (Central-Eastern Côte d’Ivoire)
AUTHORS:
Hervé A. N’cho, Innocent K. Kouame, Kouadio Koff, Lazare K. Kouassı, Séraphin K. Konan, Ruth Baï, Andrei Sandu, Ion Sandu
KEYWORDS:
Well, Groundwater, Hydrochemistry, Microbiology
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection,
Vol.8 No.4,
April
13,
2020
ABSTRACT: The use of well water by disadvantaged populations in most African cities often presents health risks. The purpose of this study is to determine the physico-chemical and microbiological quality of M’bahiakro well water. A series of physico-chemical, microbiological and piezometric analyses were carried out on the well water in the area. The results of these analyses were processed using Piper and Schoeller-Berkaloff diagrams and the software R 3.1.2 for Principal Component Analysis. Physico-chemical analysis results show that the water has an average temperature of 28°C. They are acidic, with a pH that generally varies from 4 to 6. M’bahiakro well waters are highly mineralized, with an average electrical conductivity of 369.1 μS/cm and 984.1 μS/cm and pass from sodium and potassium chlorinated facies in the dry season (February) to sodium chlorinated facies in the rainy season (October) with K+, Na+ and NO3- ions dominating. These ions would be the result of soil rainfall and the intervention of anthropogenic activities in the pollution of shallow groundwater. Bacteriological results exploitation shows that the well waters studied host high densities of enteritis bacteria (E. coli, Fecal streptococcus, and Clostridium perfringens) during the rainy period (October). M’Bahiakro’s well water is of poor quality and unsuitable for human consumption without prior treatment. However, they deserve particular attention and would require further treatment in rainy periods.