Bacteriologic quality of water from the Rhine and its tributaries in the Rhine-Neckar region. I. Bacterial count and Enterobacteriaceae of the current status of pollution
Mersch-Sundermann, V.; Wundt, W.
Zentralblatt für Bakteriologie Mikrobiologie und Hygiene. Serie B Umwelthygiene Krankenhaushygiene Arbeitshygiene Praventive Medizin 184(6): 459-469
1987
ISSN/ISBN: 0932-6073 PMID: 3118608 Document Number: 296019
During the period of May 1982 to January 1983 and March 1986 to May 1986, 164 water-specimens had been collected along the river Rhine and its affluxes in the overcrowded Rhine-Neckar-Region from 34 collecting-sites on 8 different days. The specimens were tested for the total-germ-count and the titers of different Enterobacteriaceae-species. The total-germ-count examined concentrations of several hundreds up to 1.8 million germ in 1 ml river-water. Extremely high concentrations were found along the waste-water-influxes (purification-plants) and the overloaded Rhine-affluences (Leimbach, Kraichbach, Speyerbach, Rehbach, Neckar). The waste-water-samples from the central flow of the Rhine-river showed germ-concentrations of less than 10.000/ml, due to the mix-up of the waste water with the Rhine-water. Enterobacteriaceae--549 isolates together--could be found mainly in specimens from all collected sites in low titers. E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter cloacae, Serratia liquefaciens and Citrobacter freundii had been the highest recovery rate. The isolation of Salmonellae was examined because of specific methods in a separate study (2. Communication). Based on these data, it has to be concluded, that the water of the Rhine-river and its affluxes in the Rhine-Neckar-Region is an uncontrolled germ-reservoir. The use of this water for bathing, unprocessed drinking-water or for agriculture purpose has to be refused from the hygienic point of view.