Total Coliforms and Escherichia coli in Benghazi Coastal Waters

In an attempt to assess the contamination of Benghazi coastal waters with human and animal wastes, water samples were collected from four recreational sites. Collection of samples was carried out at two- week intervals during six months beginning on the 16th of July, 2005. The collection protocol covered Summer months of July and August during which the beeches were heavily populated, months of September and October when population presence declined and months of November and December when recreational activity was least. Total coliforms and Escherichia coli were the indicators of such contamination. MacConkey Broth, Eosin Methylene Blue Agar Brilliant Green Broth, Tryptophane Broth (Tryptone water) and Kovac s indole reagent were employed in the recommended tests for the indicators and their fecal origin. Stained smears were prepared to confirm presence of the Gram- negative non- spore forming E. coli rods. Total coliforms, as indicated by the Most Probable Number Index was at low levels in most of the 12 water samples of two sites, Site- A and Site- C, which were far away from major sources of sewage inflow. Nine samples of Site- A and seven samples of Site- C showed E. coli of fecal origin. The other two sites were heavily contaminated. All sea water samples of Site- B were polluted with E. coli of fecal origin, possibly due to the nearby inflow of a mammalian animals slaughter house sewage. Eleven samples of Site- D harbored fecal E. coli. This site is not far away from an input of a major sewage flow. Results of the present investigation have been concluded with the lack of public health safety in coastal waters of Benghazi, at least at the investigated sites, with fluctuating rates. There is a serious necessity for reducing, if not eliminating, the sources of coastal water pollution. There is also a need for a continuous short- time consuming monitoring tests with alarm system to avoid serious public health hazards at the right time. Epidemiological studies, correlating coastal water pollution with incidence and prevalence of diseases whose causative agents are in these waters, have been suggested