MICROBIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF SEAWATER QUALITY AT MISURATA BEACHES, LIBYA

Abstract

Bacterial contamination in marine waters is a significant environmental and public health concern, as it can have adverse effects on human health and marine ecosystems. This type of pollution often originates from sources such as untreated wastewater, leading to elevated levels of harmful bacteria in the water and increasing the risk of infections and disease transmission. This study aimed to assess the levels of bacterial pollution in the seawater of Misurata City’s beaches, Libya, during 2021 by collecting samples from three coastal sites (Tuba, Jannat, and Yeader) during the months of April and June. The results revealed varying degrees of bacterial contamination at Jannat and Yeader, with Jannat showing the highest level of pollution with a statistically significant difference. Moreover, bacterial contamination was notably higher in June compared to April. Analysis showed that 56.11% of the samples were contaminated with Escherichia coli, 66.66% with Total Coliform bacteria, and 57.22% with Staphylococcus aureus. Additionally, members of the Enterobacteriaceae family were detected, including Klebsiella spp. at 18.3%, Pseudomonas spp. at 9.4%, while Proteus spp. and Salmonella spp. were the least prevalent at 5.5% each. No bacterial contamination was detected at the Tuba site, likely due to its distance from pollution sources. The study concluded that the discharge of untreated wastewater is a primary source of contamination and recommends effective wastewater treatment prior to discharge into the marine environment to mitigate health risks and environmental impacts.