Physico-Chemical and Bacteriological Characteristics Of Comoé River Waters From Grand-Bassam To Kafolo (North-South Côte d'Ivoire)

Wognin Affou Seraphin,Traore Gnamien Sylvain, Gboko Affoua Jeanne, Kpidi Yapo Habib, Yapo Ossey Bernard

Characteristics, physico-chemical, bacteriological, Comoé river, Kafolo

The aim of the study carried out on the Comoé River was to assess the level of physico-chemical, bacteriological and chemical pollution of this body of water. Water samples were taken at eight (8) stations on the river. Bacteriological contamination indicators such as total coliforms, faecal streptococci and faecal coliforms were tested. Physico-chemical parameters such as temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, nutrients (nitrate, nitrite, phosphorus and ammonium) and pesticides (fenuron and desisopropylatrazine) were also measured. The measurements revealed that water temperatures in the Comoé river varied between 27.1°C (C8F) and 34.8°C (C3S). The pH values showed that the water ranged from acidic to neutral. These values ranged from 6.02 (C2S) to 7.29 (C7S). Dissolved oxygen concentration was highest at the surface, with values ranging from 2.05mg/L (C7F) to 7.73mg/L (C7S). Nutrient levels varied between 0.8 mg/L (C6S) and 5.3 mg/L (C2F) for nitrate, 0.0035mg/L (C5S) and 0.08mg/L (C4S) for nitrite, 0.08mg/L (C3F) and 9.28mg/L (C1F) for phosphorus and 0.055 mg/L (C7M) and 0.39mg/L (C4F) for ammonium.

Bacteriological analyses revealed the presence of total coliforms, faecal coliforms and faecal streptococci, with maximum average loads observed respectively at stations C8 (5.450 cfu/100mL), C2 (3.215 cfu/100mL) and C6 (3,085 cfu/100mL).The waters of the River Comoé showed high loads of micro-organism and physico-chemical pollutants. The CF/SF ratio showed that the water was contaminated in places by human, animal and mixed sources.

The waters of the Comoé River are likely to contain pathogenic micro-organisms and thus constitute a real public health problem.

https://doi.org/10.31871/WJRR.17.3.7