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Incidence of Moulds in Treated and Untreated Drinking Water of Selected Local Governments in Ibadan, South-Western Nigeria

Jonathan SG, Oghodero O and Asemoloye MD

Water is an essential component of biological make up and it is one of the most abundant life resources. However, scarcity of potable water is an issue of concern worldwide. In this study, incidence of moulds in treated (bottled and sachet) and untreated (bore-hole) drinking water in Ibadan south-western Nigeria was investigated. Samples of sachet and bottled water, and bore-hole water were gotten from selected locations in Ibadan north, Ibadan north-east, Ibadan north-west, Ibadan south-west, Idoo and Akinyele local governments, they were analyzed for the presence of moulds by pour-plating technique on Sabouraud Dextrose Agar plates. Characterization of mould species was done morphologically based on macroscopic and microscopic characters. Seventy one colonies of moulds were isolated but seven species with highest percentage incidence belonging to the genera Penicillium, Aspergillus, Fusarium, Rhizopus, and Neurospora were identified. The genera Aspergillus (53.52%) and Penicillium (29.58%) occurred most frequently. Mould contamination in sachet water (42.25%) and bottled water (29.58%) was higher than that in bore-hole water (28.17%). The mean total viable counts for moulds were 6.29 CFU/ml in sachet water, 6.05 CFU/ml in bottled water and 5.67 CFU/ml in bore-hole water. The presence of moulds in drinking water is non-negligible, therefore moulds should be considered in assessing microbiological quality of drinking water and setting standards in drinking water regulations.