Microbes as Indicators of Water Quality and Bioremediation of Polluted Waters

Abstract

Water is the most important commodity in the world. Over the large parts of world, humans have inadequate access to potable water. Since the inception of industrial revolution different toxic compounds have entered in the water bodies due to leakage, improper disposal or accidents and caused great harms to rivers and various water bodies and imposed major health risks on human beings. Water pollution is measured by variety of physical, biological and chemical methods. Microbiological tests have proven to be indispensable part of environmental contamination detection. The main suggested criteria for selecting a microbial indicator for water potability should be: it should be suitable for the analysis of all types of water, present wherever enteric pathogens are present, survive longer than enteric pathogens, must have easy procedure for detection, should be harmless to humans and the level of indicator bacteria in contaminated water should have direct relationship to the degree of pollution.