Evaluation of Mofified Rapid H sub(2)S Test for Detection of Fecal Contamination in Drinking Water from Various Sources

A comprehensive bacteriological analysis of 525 drinking water samples collected from railway stations, houses, rivers and lakes (surface water), tube wells and open wells was carried out using Manja's H sub(2)S field test, MTFT (MPN) test, TTC (Eijkman test) and MFT test Detection efficiency of faecal coliform contamination for H sub(2)S field test (96-97%) was comparable to MPN test and more detection level over that of MFT and TTC. Efficiency of H sub(2)S test varies with the source and decreased with the depth of the source of water. However, the H sub(2)S test, compared to other tests, was more suitable, reliable, inexpensive, easy to perform and useful to detect fecal contamination in drinking water within 24 h, for places where time, man and laboratory facilities are very poor.