The Effect of Treated Sulfur Water on the Microbial Content of the Soil and the Extent of Resistance of These Bacteria to Antibiotics

Abstract

Abstract The research began on March 7, 2021, as the regions of Ain Al-Wusta and Ain Jarura were chosen to take soil samples. The sulfuric water was treated using laboratory batch reactors. Locally manufactured glass tubes were used, with dimensions 17 * 17 * 55 in length, width and height, respectively, Subsequently, microbiological and chemical analyzes of the soil were performed. The results of the study showed success of the physical treatment process that was used to reduce the levels of sulfur in the water Depending on the source of water and the type of material used, the triple-magnetic treatment achieved the highest removal rate of 73% in Ain Al-Wusta soil, 40% in soil sample B1, and 27% in soil sample B2 of Ain Jarura. The results of bacterial culture showed that Gram-negative bacteria were dominant by 100% in soil samples from Ain Jarura region treated with untreated sulfuric water (WA1, WA2, WA3) (Table- 4), as well as for the same soil samples treated with sulfuric water treated with sand filter (GB1), charcoal filter (GB2) and magnetic field filter. (GB3) Soil samples treated with untreated sulfur water were dominated by Pseudomonas aeruginosa with a percentage of 66.7% and Acinetobacter lwoffii with a percentage of 33.3%.The results of the bacterial count of soil samples from the Ain Jarura region showed that there were significant differences between the bacterial number with sulfuric water treated with the three filters, As for soil samples from Ain Al-Wusta region, only soil samples added to sulfuric water treated with charcoal filter (WB2) gave significant differences with a significant decrease of number (84×102 CFU) for the species Aerococcus viridans. The results of the antibiotic sensitivity test showed that Elizabethkingia meningoseptica gave the highest rate of resistance to antibiotics about 66%. The results of the study showed that the resistance of bacterial isolates to antibiotics did not show significant differences between soil samples treated with treated and untreated sulfur water, except for the GB2 isolate.