Abstract

BAUTISTA OLIVAS, Ana Laura et al. Microbiological quality of water obtained by condensation of the atmosphere in Tlaxcala, Hidalgo and Mexico City. Rev. Int. Contam. Ambient [online]. 2013, vol.29, n.2, pp.167-175. ISSN 0188-4999.

The availability of drinking water in quantity and quality is a serious problem in the world. Today there are techniques to obtain water from the air and mitigate this situation. However, knowing the microbiological quality of water from the atmosphere is relevant, because of the risk associated with the ingestion of water contaminated with bacteria from the feces of humans and animals. Nevertheless, the diagnosis of these microorganisms requires specialized laboratories and represents several days of analysis and high costs. The objective of this investigation consisted on evaluating the number of total coliforms and fecal colonies found in condensed atmospheric water by using rapid tests. The study was conducted in three areas: San Felipe Hidalgo, Tlax-cala; Huichapan, Hidalgo; and Mexico City. In each site, 9 day samples and 9 night samples with three replications were taken in two seasons August-September, 2011 and December-January, 2011-2012. Water was captured with a prototype apparatus named higroiman, which decreases the contact surface temperature in order to induce the dew point and to condense the moisture from the atmosphere. It was applied a mean test (Tukey, P < 0.05) to the obtained results and these were compared with the permissible limits of drinking water according to World Health Organization. Mexico City had the highest number of total coliforms colonies and Escherichia coli in the two samples. Whereas Huichapan, Hidalgo presented the lowest number of total coliforms and fecal colonies. Atmospheric water at the three mentioned sites is not considered potable without treatment.

Keywords : atmospheric water; E. coli; fecal coliforms; coligel; drinking water.

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