Assessment of microbial pollution in the coastal environs of the Little Andaman island, India

Abstract

The qualitative and quantitative distribution of total heterotrophic bacteria and human pathogens from eight different marine locations along the east coast of Little Andaman island.had been examined. During the investigation, 82 bacterial strains were isolated and 12 genera were identified with the dominance of Vibrio (23%) and Pseudomonas (20%). THB population density recorded in the present study varied from 5.2 to 273  10² CFUml⁻¹ in the water samples and from 6.2 to 40  10³ CFUg⁻¹ in the sediment samples. In the case of pathogenic forms, 10 species were recorded from the eight stations and their densities were within the optimal levels. The present study indicates the less polluted nature of the coastal environs of the Little Andaman island.