First record of Coliphage in Al-Qadisyia province water and using it as biomonitors of pollution

Abstract

Water pollution represent a certain challenge in the world , This work was carried from the period between March and April 2009 in attempt for screening one of the biological indicators which is a group of bacteriophages called coliphage. Obtained results showed that Al-Diwanyia river water contained about 78±34 pfu/ml at the point of entering the city , while water samples which were collected from the center of the city contained a higher levels of coliphage about 234±56 pfu/ml , but the highest levels of the phages 1023±78 pfu/ml were documented at the last part of the river in the south of the city where the river leave the city .The laboratory investigation of coliphages ability to cause lyses to the bacteria explained that phage replication is correlated with the bacterial growth and increase with time, the complete lyses was recorded at about 8 hours. Study also included determination of soluble O₂ , electric conductivity., biological oxygen demand ₅, turbidity, temperature, and pH levels. Result explain that virological indicators could be a useful in biomonitoring of water quality