Investigation of Indicators of Bacterial Pollution Using Environmental Genomics and Water Quality Index for the Purpose of Living Organisms in the Tigris River South of Mosul City

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the presence of Total Plate Count (TPC) and Fecal Coliform (FC), and to isolate and identify some types of bacteria present in the Tigris River water, south of Mosul. The study area extended from Hammam Al-Alil to Al-Qayyarah (60 km). The presence of these bacteria is evidence of organic pollution in the river. The water quality index was used to assess the living organisms in the river, taking into account the physical and chemical factors specific to this model, represented by river temperatures, pH, and dissolved oxygen measurements. Traditional tests were also conducted to assess coliform bacteria by calculating the number of fecal coliform bacteria, which includes three stages: Presumptive Test, Confirmed Test, and Completed Test. The results of the physical and chemical tests for the living organisms in the river showed that the water temperature ranged between 10-24.5 °C and the concentrations of the indicator values. The acidity ranged between 6.4-7.9 and the dissolved oxygen results indicated a range of (6.4-10.3) mg/L. The range of phosphate and nitrate concentrations was between (0.01-0.14) and (0.001-0.99) mg/L, respectively. The results were within the Iraqi standard determinants and international specifications for surface water. The Tigris River water, south of Mosul, ranged between (moderate - good). The results of the bacteriological study also showed that the total number of bacteria ranged between (6-700) cells/100 ml, and colon bacteria ranged between 0-180 cells/100 ml, in addition to the isolation and identification of each of the bacteria (Acinetobacter radioresistens, Bacillus firmus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa