Author(s): Ginson Joseph, Eborlang Kharnaior and Remya Kumari KR

Abstract: Physicochemical and microbiological qualities of pond water in the shrimp culturing farms of Chellanam Panchayath, Ernakulam were analyzed and compared. Four representative shrimp farms were selected based on the area and named as farm A, farm B, farm C and farm D, respectively. Physicochemical parameters such as pH and hardness of the pond water were in the desirable range in all farms; whereas farm A showed highest dissolved oxygen, iron and phosphate content. Among the farms, farm C revealed optimum content of alkalinity, nitrite and nitrate. Total plate count in the farm A, B, C and D was 5.5, 4.29, 3.13 and 4.68 log10 cfu ml-1, respectively. Similarly, pathogenic bacteria such as Vibrio cholera, V. parahaemolyticus, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella were less than log₁₀ cfu ml-1 in all farms. Coliforms were present in all farms except farm C. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed homogenous content of DO, hardness, iron, alkalinity, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, total plate count (TPC) and coliforms in all farms (p>0.05) except farm A and C (p<0.05). This study can be concluded that lower bacterial load of farm C had better correlation with physicochemical properties of water.

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