THE H2S TEST AS AN ALTERNATIVE FOR WATER QUALITY ASSESSMENT IN LOW RESOURCE COMMUNITIES: A LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

Water is an essential resource for life. As water scarcity becomes a more pressing global issue, preserving access of safe water sources is a necessity in public health. Standard methods of water quality testing require expensive equipment and lab facilities, making testing in low resource areas a difficulty. An alternative testing method using hydrogen sulfide-producing bacteria (H2S) as an indicator of water contamination has been developed and tested in multiple regions of the world. This thesis will examine literature around H2S tests and its various modifications, compared to standard water quality assessment methods that use E. coli and total coliform (TC), like membrane filtration and enzyme substrate tests such as Colilert®. The primary purpose of this review is to analyze findings from literature to determine strengths and weaknesses of the H2S method, as well as commonly recommended testing conditions. By presenting these findings, the goal is to provide further assessment into the potential for H2S testing as an alternative method for water quality assessment that can be reliably used in low resources settings.