Caracterización fisicoquímica y microbiológica de agua procedente de vertientes subterráneas para consumo humano en las parroquias urbanas del cantón Guano

Abstract

The present titling work aimed to carry out the physicochemical and microbiological characterization of water from underground springs for human consumption in the urban parishes of the Guano canton through a study with a quantitative approach, observational design, and descriptive type. The sample consisted of different sampling points: four underground springs, three reserve tanks, and three water taps from the household networks, where an amount of 100 ml was taken for microbiological analysis and 500 ml for physical-chemical examination. As a result of physicochemical analysis of the water samples, it determines that the parameters of pH (7.41), color (0.1Pt-Co), turbidity (0.24 NTU), conductivity (562.6 mS/cm), dissolved solids (340.25 mg/L), nitrites (0.004 mg/L), nitrates (2.07 mg/L), fluorine (1.10 mg/L) and cadmium (0 mg/L) were within the permitted limit; in the microbiological analysis, the presence of total coliforms (sampling I: 33% and sampling II: 67%), fecal coliforms (sampling I: 3 CFU/100 ml in the Barrios Altos network and sampling II: in 67%) and when comparing the water quality of household networks with the NTE INEN 1108:2020 quality standard, it was determined that they did not comply with two quality parameters, presenting high values of arsenic (>0.01 mg / L) and a low concentration of residual chlorine (<0.3 mg / L). It concludes that the water from the household networks of Lluishi, Barrios Altos, and La Inmaculada is not suitable for consumption by the population of the urban parishes of Guano since they present polluting bacteria and high concentration of arsenic, which is toxic to consumers. It recommends carrying out more significant control of the chlorination process in the distribution tanks and the water of the household networks.