Cryptosporidium Oocysts in Drinking Water Supply of Chennai City,Southern India

Cryptosporidium is an enteric parasitic protozoan capable of causing chronic diarrhea. One of the most common modes of transmission is through faeces‐contaminated water. This study determines the distribution of Cryptosporidium oocysts for the first time in Chennai City's drinking water supply. 199 drinking water samples were collected from ten zones of the city. In the water samples Cryptosporidium, a common pathogenic protozoan of the gastrointestinal tract, has been analyzed physico chemically as well as microbiologically for heterotrophic organisms and total coliforms (TC). The studies revealed that three zones of the city were highly contaminated with coliforms and parasitic protozoa. A statistical analysis was done to find any correlation between heterotrophic organisms, total coliforms, and oocysts. Even though a positive correlation exists between oocysts and bacteriological parameters, a regression equation shows that heterotrophic plate count (HPC) and total coliforms were only 20% responsible for the presence of oocysts. The level of Cryptosporidium oocysts isolated from the water samples may present a public health hazard although no major outbreaks have so far been reported in Chennai City. Routine surveillance of water quality throughout the city is needed to curb the pollutants.     

Biosorption of Cr (VI), Cr (III), Pb (II) and Cd (II) from aqueous solutions by Sargassum wightii and Caulerpa racemosa algal biomass

Heavy metal pollution is one of the most important environmental problems today.Biosorption is an innovative tech-nology that employs biological materials to accumulate heavy metals from waste water through metabolic process or physicochemi-cal pathways of uptake.Even though several physical and chemical methods are available for removal of heavy metals,currently many biological materials such as bacteria,algae,yeasts and fungi have been widely used due to their good performance,low cost and large quantity of availability.The aim of the present study is to explore the biosorption of toxic heavy metals,Cr(VI),Cr(III),Pb(II) and Cd(II) by algal biomass obtained from algae Sargassum wightii(brown) and Caulerpa racemosa(green).Biosorption of algal biomass was found to be biomass concentration-and pH-dependent,while the maximal biosorption was found at pH 5.0 and with the metal concentration of 100 mg L-1.S.wightii showed the maximal metal biosorption at the biomass concentration of 25 g L-1,followed by C.racemosa with the maximal biosorption at 30 g L-1.S.wightii showed 78% biosorption of Cr(VI),Cr(III),Pb(II) and Cd(II) ions.C.racemosa exhibited 85% biosorption of Cd(II) and Cr(VI),and 50% biosorption of Cr(III) and Pb(II).The results of our study suggest that seaweed biomass can be used efficiently for