Effect of sun light on the survival of Escherichia coli in beach sand

Abstract

This research work was aimed at appraising the survival of a  Escherichia coli’s strain as resistant to the nalidixic  acid, through inoculation into sand samples exposed to sun light. The experimental layout was designed in six  microcosmos, namely: (a) working experiment – sterilized sand plus sterile saline plus E. coli ; (b) control experiment –  non-sterilized sand plus sterile saline plus  E. coli ; (c) blank control – sterilized sand + sterile saline, with three of them  being exposed to sun light and three kept in the dark, protected against sun light’s influence. Considering the experimental  microcosmos and after a 48-hour period of sun light exposition had elapsed, no E. coli strain was recovered what bears out  the fact that the ultraviolet irradiation is lethal to a viable cell. The samples from inoculated sand were not found to be  favorable to the growth of  E. coli cultivation broth when exposed to sun light.