STUDIES ON SOME PHYSICO-CHEMICAL PARAMETERS AND BACTERIAL DIVERSITY AND ABUNDANCE OF RIVER ADO, KARU L.G.A. NASSARAWA STATE

Abstract

The current investigation was aimed to determine the composition and diversity of bacteria and macroinvertebrates of River Ado. Water samples were collected from four different points along the river for six months. Using standard methods, total heterotropic bacteria count, total coliform, total faecal coliform count were determined. Heterotropic counts ranged from 52.09±2.11 to 29.12±0.63 (cfu/ml). Total coliform ranged from 38.10±1.01 to 19.16±0.11 (cfu/ml). Total Faecal coliform ranged from 27.08±1,15 to 14.07±0.21 (cfu/ml). Six bacterial genera which includes E. coli, Klebsiella species, Enterobacter species, Salmonella species, Shigella species, Citrobacter species were isolated from the water samples. Shigella species and Citrobacter species had the highest frequency of 15.  The physico-chemical parameters showed high significant difference (P<0.05) across the sampling months. Temperature, Electrical conductivity, Total dissolved solids, water hardness, Alkalinity, Chlorine, Sulphate, Phosphate and Calcium were significantly affected by seasons.