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Microbiology of the mineral water of Jaraba Spas

Abstract:

Five carbonated hot springs from the town of Jaraba (Zaragoza, Spain) have been studied. Water from all of them are used with therapeutic purposes at the following Spas: Sicilia (San Vicente), Serón (San Luis and La Peña) and La Virgen (San José and Pilas). Samples were collected at three different seasons of the year. There was a low total number of microorganisms (1.9 × 10 4 to 2.1 × 10 5) most of which were alive (75% to 85%). The number of heterotrophic viable bacteria was lower than 10 cfu/mL, with a predominance of Gram-negative bacilli (65%); meanwhile Gram-positive cocci (17.3%) and Gram-positive non sporulated bacilli (13.8%) were founded in lower percentage. The San Vicente, Pilas and San José mineral hot springs have shown a great microbial diversity, whereas in La Peña hot spring the genus mainly detected was Enterobacter. The main identified genera of Gram-negative bacilli have been: Pseudomonas, Enterobacter, Burkholderia, Ochrobactrum and Brevundimonas. On the other hand, most of the Gram-positive cocci identified belong to the genus Staphylococcus, and the Gram-positive bacilli belong to the genera Cellulomonas, Corynebacterium and Rhodococcus. No faecal indicators were detected neither pathogenic microorganisms. The number of proteolytic, amylolytic and ammonifiers microorganisms was lower than 10 3/100 mL; and cellulolytic and halophylic microorganisms and fungi were detected in reduced number (lower than 50/100 mL). Neither sulphate reducing bacteria, actinomycetes, cyanobacteria nor algi were detected.