Abstract
In order to investigate the microbiological contamination of spring water, we performed the standard plate count, coliform and psychrotrophilic bacteria in 109 spring waters in Seoul. Of 109 spring waters, geometirc mean standard plate count was 0.19 CFU/ml, and the highest in Mt. Boolam, 4..43 CFU/ml and Mt. Dobong, 3.86 CFU/ml, but not detected in Mt. Woomyun and Mt. Cheonggye. Four spring waters have shown over 100 CFU/ml in standard plate count. The geometric mean psychrotrophilic bacteria was 49.2 CFU/ml, the most prevalent spring water was Mt. Nam, 125 CFU/ml, the lowest Mt. Woomyeun. Among a total of 109, coliform was detected from 21 spring waters(19.3%) and the geometric mean of coliform was 0.005 MPN/100ml. The isolated genera of coliform were 7 isolates of E. coli(33%), 5 Klebsiella(24%), 4 Enterobacter(19%), 3 Citrobacter(14%) and 2 Serratia(10%), respectively. The 22 spring waters(20.2%) failed to meet the standard limits of drinking water based on regulation in Korea. The inappropriate rate of standard plate count in spring water was 4.5%, that of coliform was 81.1% and both of them was 13.6%. There was the significant correlation between standard plate count and psychrotrophilic bacteria in spring water(r=0.95, p<0.01).