Incidence, identification and antibiotic resistance of Salmonella spp. in the well waters of Tadla Plain, Morocco.

Concerns about challenges with water availability in the Tadla Plain region of Morocco have grown as a result of groundwater contamination brought on by human activity, climate change, and insufficient groundwater management. The objective of the study is to measure the number of resistant bacteria in the groundwater of Beni Moussa and Beni Aamir, as well as to evaluate the level of water pollution in this area. 200 samples were therefore gathered from 43 wells over the course of four seasonal campaigns in 2017 and 2018. Additionally, the samples were examined to determine whether Salmonella species were present and if they were resistant to the 16 antibiotics that were tested. Salmonella spp. have been identified in 31 isolated strains in total, accounting for 18.02% of all isolated strains. Data on antibiotic resistance show that 58.1% of Salmonella spp. strains are multidrug-resistant (MDR); 38.7% of Salmonella strains are tolerant to at least six antibiotics, 19.4% to at least nine antibiotics, 9.7% to four to seven antibiotics, 6.5% to at least eleven antibiotics, and the remaining 3.2% to up to twelve antibiotics. A considerable level of resistance to cefepime (61.29%), imipenem (54.84%), ceftazidime (45.16%), ofloxacin (70.97%), and ertapenem (74.19%) was found in the data. Consequently, it is important to monitor and regulate the growth of MDR in order to prevent the groundwater's quality from declining.

[Metal contamination of the ground water in Mohammedia (Morocco)]. / Contamination métallique des eaux souterraines de la ville de Mohammedia (Maroc).

This aim of this study was to assess the heavy metal contamination of the ground water in the Moroccan city of Mohammedia and its relation to the highly developed industrial and domestic activities in the region. Six heavy metals, Cu, Zn, Cd, Hg, Fe and Pb, were assayed in the waters of 19 wells throughout the city, in industrial areas, public landfills, and residential zones. Four sampling campaigns were conducted between January and May 1999. Analysis of the heavy metal levels revealed a causal relation between the human activities at the sites studied and the degree of contamination recorded. The sites in the industrial areas had elevated concentrations of Fe, Zn, Cu or Pb and most often a combination of at least two of these at a single site. Moreover, the spatial distribution of this pollution showed water in S7 areas to be high in iron and that in S5 and S7 (industrial) areas high in mercury. The concentrations measured are respectively 2.5 and 3-5 times greater than the Maximum Acceptable Concentration (MAC) recommended by WHO for potable water. This work has conclusively proven the presence of dangerous heavy metal contamination of the ground water supply in the area of Mohammedia; it demonstrates the need for conservation and antipollution measures aimed against heavy metal contamination of the overall water supply and in particular the ground water.