Microbiological and Physicochemical Quality of Water at Tripoli Central Hospital, Libya: an Exploratory Study

Authors

  • Arij. M. Mousa Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medical Technology, University of Tripoli, Libya
  • Emhemed. A. Gedara Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Aljfara, Aljfara, Libya
  • Monua. S. Alzway Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medical Technology, University of Tripoli, Libya
  • Ghada. A. Saleh Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medical Technology, University of Tripoli, Libya
  • Ahmed Ibrahim Elbousify Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tripoli, Tripoli, Libya
  • Aya. A. Ahmed Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medical Technology, University of Tripoli, Libya
  • Allaaeddin. A. El Salabi Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medical Technology, University of Tripoli, Libya

Keywords:

Water quality, Hospital water supply, Escherichia coli, Coliforms, Healthcare-associated infections, Libya

Abstract

Background: Contaminated water in healthcare facilities can act as a reservoir for pathogens and cause healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in vulnerable patients and staff. Data on hospital water quality in Libya are limited. This exploratory study assessed the microbiological and physicochemical quality of water at Tripoli Central Hospital (TCH), Libya. Methods: In this exploratory cross-sectional study, 30 water samples were collected from taps and wells at TCH between May and August 2025 and analyzed for Escherichia coli, total coliforms, total bacterial count, temperature, pH, turbidity, electrical conductivity (EC) and total dissolved solids (TDS). Results were compared with Libyan national standards and World Health Organization (WHO) guidance. Results: E. coli was detected in 14 of 30 samples (46.7%) and total coliforms in 18 (60.0%) the highest E. coli count (500 CFU/100 mL) was in the urology clinic. TDS exceeded 1000 mg/L in 11 samples and EC exceeded 1500 µS/cm in 28. Turbidity exceeded 1 NTU in three samples (mortuary and hospital pharmacy areas), none above 5 NTU. Conclusion: Fecal indicator bacteria and elevated EC, TDS and turbidity at several points indicate that TCH water does not consistently meet Libyan or WHO criteria and may pose a risk of waterborne disease transmission; causes were not investigated. Infrastructure improvement, point-of-use treatment, on-site water-quality monitoring and scheduled maintenance of water and sewage systems are recommended.

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Published

2026-10-29

How to Cite

Arij. M. Mousa, Emhemed. A. Gedara, Monua. S. Alzway, Ghada. A. Saleh, Ahmed Ibrahim Elbousify, Aya. A. Ahmed, & Allaaeddin. A. El Salabi. (2026). Microbiological and Physicochemical Quality of Water at Tripoli Central Hospital, Libya: an Exploratory Study. North African Journal of Scientific Publishing (NAJSP), 4(4), 155–165. Retrieved from https://najsp.com/index.php/home/article/view/1030

Issue

Volume 4, Issue 4, 2026

Section

Applied and Natural Sciences

License

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.