THE MICROBIAL CONTAMINATION AND WATER QUALITY OF LESSER-ZAB RIVER IN KIRKUK PROVINCETAWOOS MOHAMMED KAMEL AHMED AND SARAH AHMED HASANAbstract The current study was aimed to estimate microbial contamination and water quality in the Lesser- Zab River sediments in Kirkuk city, Iraq. 1l of water samples was collected, per month starting from October 2019 until the March 2020, from three studied stations. The current study included the measurement of total aerobic bacteria and Total coli form Bacteria with several physical and chemical characteristics of water. The findings of the studied stations demonstrated that total aerobic bacteria (1.3-7.5*103), Total coli form Bacteria (0.3-10.3*103), Biochemical Oxygen Demand between (1.9-21.7 mg/l), nitrates (2.4-90.2 mg/l), ammonium (0.19â5.7 mg/l), phosphate ranged between (0.18â1.8 mg/l) and Organic Pollution Index (0.18â1.8 mg/l). It is concluded Lesser-Zab River is classified as organic contaminated. |