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The provision of potable drinking water is of public health concern, especially in developing countries. This study aimed to test the bacteriological quality of well water in El-Qalubia governorate, Egypt. Untreated well water samples were collected from thirteen sites all over the governorate. The most probable number of tests (presumptive and confirmed tests) revealed that water is unpotable for drinking. Five pathogenic microorganisms were isolated from samples. These isolates were identified by biochemical and phytic tests as Klebsiella Pneumonia, Enterobacter sp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Citrobacter braaki, and E. coli. Antibiotic susceptibility test for these isolates confirmed their multidrug resistance. Thus, this study has shown a high level of bacterial contamination in all the samples. Hence, the need for good maintenance and hygienic practices by households to reduce the risk of disease outbreaks from the organisms encountered in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current work, we present a renewable alternative coating formulation made of durable titania nanoparticles and oxidized nanocellulose (TiO 2 NPs@OCNs) nanocomposites and sodium alginate (SA), to create an environmentally friendly and secure food packaging paper. OCNs sugarcane fibers are firstly hydrolyzed using ammonium persulphate (APS). Then, TiO 2 NPs@OCNs nanocomposites are made in situ with OCNs using a green water-based sol-gel synthesis. Gram (+) microorganisms as well as Gram (-) bacteria are used to test the antibacterial properties of the TiO 2 NPs@OCN dispersions. The results show that the TiO 2 NP@OCNs significantly decreases the growth for all bacterial species. The TiO 2 NP@OCNs nanocomposites are mixed with SA, and the resulting formulations are used to coat paper sheets. The corresponding physicochemical properties are evaluated using FTIR, TGA, AFM, SEM, and EDX. Furthermore, the mechanical strength, air permeability, and water vapor characteristics of the paper sheets treated with SA/TiO 2 NPs@OCN are carried out, resulting in a great improvement of these properties. Finally, the SA/TiO 2 NPs@OCNs coated papers have been used as packaging for strawberries. The findings demonstrate that coated papers could preserve strawberry quality better than unpacked fruit and extend strawberry shelf life from 6 to 18 days., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)