Investigating the physical and chemical factors affecting the microbial status of water in the water distribution network of Babol City with an emphasis on the HPC index.
<h4>Background and purpose</h4>Safe and hygienic drinking water is crucial for public health. Secondary bacterial contamination, often caused by improper transport and distribution conditions, poses a significant threat. This study aimed to investigate the physical and chemical factors i...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0324186 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850221696485687296 |
|---|---|
| author | Hossein Faraji Hadi Rahimzadeh Mehdi Salari Zahra Aghalari Fatemeh Asgharzadeh Somayyeh Jafarian |
| author_facet | Hossein Faraji Hadi Rahimzadeh Mehdi Salari Zahra Aghalari Fatemeh Asgharzadeh Somayyeh Jafarian |
| author_sort | Hossein Faraji |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <h4>Background and purpose</h4>Safe and hygienic drinking water is crucial for public health. Secondary bacterial contamination, often caused by improper transport and distribution conditions, poses a significant threat. This study aimed to investigate the physical and chemical factors influencing the microbial status of drinking water in Babol's distribution network, focusing on the heterotrophic plate count (HPC) index.<h4>Methods</h4>Thirty-two water samples were collected randomly from Babol's rural areas and analyzed for HPC, residual free chlorine, turbidity, pH, and temperature. HPC was measured using the plate spreading technique on R2A agar. Descriptive statistics and regression analysis were employed to analyze the data.<h4>Findings</h4>Heterotrophic bacteria were detected in 61.4% of the samples, with 9.6% exceeding 500 CFU/ml. The average HPC was 140 CFU/ml, while residual free chlorine averaged 0.33 mg/l. In 21.4% of samples, residual chlorine was below 0.2 mg/l, and 19% had no detectable chlorine. Turbidity ranged from 0.05 to 3 NTU. Statistical analysis revealed significant positive correlations between HPC and pH, MPN, turbidity, and temperature (α < 0.05).<h4>Conclusion</h4>Regular HPC monitoring in Babol's drinking water distribution network is essential to identify contaminated areas and ensure adequate residual free chlorine levels (0.2-0.8 mg/l) for maintaining bacteriological water quality. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-2b492be2ce084e43920f923a928a625f |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj-art-2b492be2ce084e43920f923a928a625f2025-08-20T02:06:39ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032025-01-01206e032418610.1371/journal.pone.0324186Investigating the physical and chemical factors affecting the microbial status of water in the water distribution network of Babol City with an emphasis on the HPC index.Hossein FarajiHadi RahimzadehMehdi SalariZahra AghalariFatemeh AsgharzadehSomayyeh Jafarian<h4>Background and purpose</h4>Safe and hygienic drinking water is crucial for public health. Secondary bacterial contamination, often caused by improper transport and distribution conditions, poses a significant threat. This study aimed to investigate the physical and chemical factors influencing the microbial status of drinking water in Babol's distribution network, focusing on the heterotrophic plate count (HPC) index.<h4>Methods</h4>Thirty-two water samples were collected randomly from Babol's rural areas and analyzed for HPC, residual free chlorine, turbidity, pH, and temperature. HPC was measured using the plate spreading technique on R2A agar. Descriptive statistics and regression analysis were employed to analyze the data.<h4>Findings</h4>Heterotrophic bacteria were detected in 61.4% of the samples, with 9.6% exceeding 500 CFU/ml. The average HPC was 140 CFU/ml, while residual free chlorine averaged 0.33 mg/l. In 21.4% of samples, residual chlorine was below 0.2 mg/l, and 19% had no detectable chlorine. Turbidity ranged from 0.05 to 3 NTU. Statistical analysis revealed significant positive correlations between HPC and pH, MPN, turbidity, and temperature (α < 0.05).<h4>Conclusion</h4>Regular HPC monitoring in Babol's drinking water distribution network is essential to identify contaminated areas and ensure adequate residual free chlorine levels (0.2-0.8 mg/l) for maintaining bacteriological water quality.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0324186 |
| spellingShingle | Hossein Faraji Hadi Rahimzadeh Mehdi Salari Zahra Aghalari Fatemeh Asgharzadeh Somayyeh Jafarian Investigating the physical and chemical factors affecting the microbial status of water in the water distribution network of Babol City with an emphasis on the HPC index. PLoS ONE |
| title | Investigating the physical and chemical factors affecting the microbial status of water in the water distribution network of Babol City with an emphasis on the HPC index. |
| title_full | Investigating the physical and chemical factors affecting the microbial status of water in the water distribution network of Babol City with an emphasis on the HPC index. |
| title_fullStr | Investigating the physical and chemical factors affecting the microbial status of water in the water distribution network of Babol City with an emphasis on the HPC index. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Investigating the physical and chemical factors affecting the microbial status of water in the water distribution network of Babol City with an emphasis on the HPC index. |
| title_short | Investigating the physical and chemical factors affecting the microbial status of water in the water distribution network of Babol City with an emphasis on the HPC index. |
| title_sort | investigating the physical and chemical factors affecting the microbial status of water in the water distribution network of babol city with an emphasis on the hpc index |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0324186 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT hosseinfaraji investigatingthephysicalandchemicalfactorsaffectingthemicrobialstatusofwaterinthewaterdistributionnetworkofbabolcitywithanemphasisonthehpcindex AT hadirahimzadeh investigatingthephysicalandchemicalfactorsaffectingthemicrobialstatusofwaterinthewaterdistributionnetworkofbabolcitywithanemphasisonthehpcindex AT mehdisalari investigatingthephysicalandchemicalfactorsaffectingthemicrobialstatusofwaterinthewaterdistributionnetworkofbabolcitywithanemphasisonthehpcindex AT zahraaghalari investigatingthephysicalandchemicalfactorsaffectingthemicrobialstatusofwaterinthewaterdistributionnetworkofbabolcitywithanemphasisonthehpcindex AT fatemehasgharzadeh investigatingthephysicalandchemicalfactorsaffectingthemicrobialstatusofwaterinthewaterdistributionnetworkofbabolcitywithanemphasisonthehpcindex AT somayyehjafarian investigatingthephysicalandchemicalfactorsaffectingthemicrobialstatusofwaterinthewaterdistributionnetworkofbabolcitywithanemphasisonthehpcindex |