Investigation of Heavy Metal-Resistant Sediment Bacteria and Some Water Quality Parameters: A Case Study of Lake Bafa (Turkey)

Surface waters such as lakes and rivers which are multipurpose fields used for drinking water supply, agricultural irrigation, fisheries and energy production are being threatened by domestic, industrial and agricultural pollution caused by rapidly growing population. Due to the insufficient numbers of studies on Lake Bafa, the largest coastal lake of Turkey, this study was conducted to investigate some physico-chemical properties of the lake’s water and levels of fecal indicator bacteria in it. Additionally, bacteria species isolated from sediments that could be cultured and their heavy metal (Cu, Zn, Ni, Cr, Hg) and antibiotic resistance were determined. Levels of fecal coliforms (FC) and fecal streptococci (FS) were determined through membrane-filtration techniques. While fecal coliform levels detected in the three sampling stations were above the limit value, fecal streptococci levels were below the limit value. Seventeen isolates identified through the 16S rDNA analysis were determined to be the members of the genus Bacillus and Arthrobacter. The resistance displayed by the isolates to heavy metals was in the following order: Cu> Zn> Ni> Cr> Hg. The isolates were also resistant to ampicillin and tetracycline. The results of this preliminary study suggest that the lake which serves agriculture, fishing and recreation purposes should be regularly monitored in terms of public health.