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Lewis JA, Frost VJ, Heard MJ. Examining the potential impacts of a coastal renourishment project on the presence and abundance of Escherichia coli. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0304061. [PMID: 38787843 PMCID: PMC11125542 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0304061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Erosion poses a significant threat to oceanic beaches worldwide. To combat this threat, management agencies often utilize renourishment, which supplements eroded beaches with offsite sand. This process can alter the physical characteristics of the beach and can influence the presence and abundance of microbial communities. In this study, we examined how an oceanic beach renourishment project may have impacted the presence and abundance of Escherichia coli (E. coli), a common bacteria species, and sand grain size, a sediment characteristic that can influence bacterial persistence. Using an observational field approach, we quantified the presence and abundance of E. coli in sand (from sub-tidal, intertidal, and dune zones on the beach) and water samples at study sites in both renourished and non-renourished sections of Folly Beach, South Carolina, USA in 2014 and 2015. In addition, we also measured how renourishment may have impacted sand grain size by quantifying the relative frequency of grain sizes (from sub-tidal, intertidal, and dune zones on the beach) at both renourished and non-renourished sites. Using this approach, we found that E. coli was present in sand samples in all zones of the beach and at each of our study sites in both years of sampling but never in water samples. Additionally, we found that in comparison to non-renourished sections, renourished sites had significantly higher abundances of E. coli and coarser sand grains in the intertidal zone, which is where renourished sand is typically placed. However, these differences were only present in 2014 and were not detected when we resampled the study sites in 2015. Collectively, our findings show that E. coli can be commonly found in this sandy beach microbial community. In addition, our results suggest that renourishment has the potential to alter both the physical structure of the beach and the microbial community but that these impacts may be short-lived.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan A. Lewis
- Department of Biology, Winthrop University, Rock Hill, South Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Victoria J. Frost
- Department of Biology, Winthrop University, Rock Hill, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Matthew J. Heard
- Department of Biology, Belmont University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
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Maloo A, Fulke AB, Sukumaran S. Toxigenic Escherichia coli with high antibiotic resistance index recovered from sands of recreational beaches of Mumbai, India. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 198:115837. [PMID: 38007873 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/28/2023]
Abstract
Mumbai, India's seven-island city, is known for its sandy beaches as a major tourist attraction, but urbanization and industrialization have weakened the environment. Unregulated sewage disposal and untreated effluents off the coast have made the beach environment vulnerable. Therefore, monitoring water and sand quality at beaches should be mandatory. This study was thus designed to determine the microbiological status of selected sandy beaches, viz. Versova, Juhu, and Girgaon. The study found fecal coliforms in the sand, with stx1 and stx2 genes specific for Shiga toxin-producing E. coli pathotypes in 5.5 % of isolates, whereas the presence of eaeA gene specific for enteropathogenic E. coli pathotype was detected in 12.2 % of isolates, and the presence of the LT and ST genes specific for enterotoxigenic E. coli pathotype was detected in 6.6 % of isolates. Multiple antibiotic-resistant indices indicated high-risk contamination sources. The study suggests routine monitoring of pollution levels at coastal cities' beaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aayushi Maloo
- Microbiology Division, CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography (CSIR-NIO), Regional Centre, Lokhandwala Road, Four Bungalows, Andheri (West), Mumbai 400053, Maharashtra, India
| | - Abhay B Fulke
- Microbiology Division, CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography (CSIR-NIO), Regional Centre, Lokhandwala Road, Four Bungalows, Andheri (West), Mumbai 400053, Maharashtra, India.
| | - Soniya Sukumaran
- Microbiology Division, CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography (CSIR-NIO), Regional Centre, Lokhandwala Road, Four Bungalows, Andheri (West), Mumbai 400053, Maharashtra, India; Biological Oceanography Division, CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography (CSIR-NIO), Regional Centre, Lokhandwala Road, Four Bungalows, Andheri (West), Mumbai 400053, Maharashtra, India
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Abstract
Escherichia coli contain a high level of genetic diversity and are generally associated with the guts of warm-blooded animals but have also been isolated from secondary habitats outside hosts. We used E. coli isolates from previous in situ microcosm experiments conducted under actual beach conditions and performed population-level genomic analysis to identify accessory genes associated with survival within the beach sand environment. E. coli strains capable of surviving had been selected for by seeding isolates originating from sand, sewage, and gull waste (n = 528; 176 from each source) into sand, which was sealed in microcosm chambers and buried for 45 days in the backshore beach of Lake Michigan. In the current work, survival-associated genes were identified by comparing the pangenome of viable E. coli populations at the end of the microcosm experiment with the original isolate collection and identifying loci enriched in the out put samples. We found that environmental survival was associated with a wide variety of genetic factors, with the majority corresponding to metabolism enzymes and transport proteins. Of the 414 unique functions identified, most were present across E. coli phylogroups, except B2 which is often associated with human pathogens. Gene modules that were enriched in surviving populations included a betaine biosynthesis pathway, which produces an osmoprotectant, and the GABA (gamma-aminobutyrate) biosynthesis pathway, which aids in pH homeostasis and nutrient use versatility. Overall, these results demonstrate that the genetic flexibility within this species allows for survival in the environment for extended periods. IMPORTANCE Escherichia coli is commonly used as an indicator of recent fecal pollution in recreational water despite its known ability to survive in secondary environments, such as beach sand. These long-term survivors from sand reservoirs can be introduced into the water column through wave action or runoff during precipitation events, thereby impacting the perception of local water quality. Current beach monitoring methods cannot differentiate long-term environmental survivors from E. coli derived from recent fecal input, resulting in inaccurate monitoring results and unnecessary beach closures. This work identified the genetic factors that are associated with long-term survivors, providing insight into the mechanistic basis for E. coli accumulation in beach sand. A greater understanding of the intrinsic ability of E. coli to survive long-term and conditions that promote such survival will provide evidence of the limitations of beach water quality assessments using this indicator.
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Ekundayo TC, Ijabadeniyi OA, Igbinosa EO, Okoh AI. Using machine learning models to predict the effects of seasonal fluxes on Plesiomonas shigelloides population density. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 317:120734. [PMID: 36455774 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Seasonal variations (SVs) affect the population density (PD), fate, and fitness of pathogens in environmental water resources and the public health impacts. Therefore, this study is aimed at applying machine learning intelligence (MLI) to predict the impacts of SVs on P. shigelloides population density (PDP) in the aquatic milieu. Physicochemical events (PEs) and PDP from three rivers acquired via standard microbiological and instrumental techniques across seasons were fitted to MLI algorithms (linear regression (LR), multiple linear regression (MR), random forest (RF), gradient boosted machine (GBM), neural network (NN), K-nearest neighbour (KNN), boosted regression tree (BRT), extreme gradient boosting (XGB) regression, support vector regression (SVR), decision tree regression (DTR), M5 pruned regression (M5P), artificial neural network (ANN) regression (with one 10-node hidden layer (ANN10), two 6- and 4-node hidden layers (ANN64), and two 5- and 5-node hidden layers (ANN55)), and elastic net regression (ENR)) to assess the implications of the SVs of PEs on aquatic PDP. The results showed that SVs significantly influenced PDP and PEs in the water (p < 0.0001), exhibiting a site-specific pattern. While MLI algorithms predicted PDP with differing absolute flux magnitudes for the contributing variables, DTR predicted the highest PDP value of 1.707 log unit, followed by XGB (1.637 log unit), but XGB (mean-squared-error (MSE) = 0.0025; root-mean-squared-error (RMSE) = 0.0501; R2 =0.998; medium absolute deviation (MAD) = 0.0275) outperformed other models in terms of regression metrics. Temperature and total suspended solids (TSS) ranked first and second as significant factors in predicting PDP in 53.3% (8/15) and 40% (6/15), respectively, of the models, based on the RMSE loss after permutations. Additionally, season ranked third among the 7 models, and turbidity (TBS) ranked fourth at 26.7% (4/15), as the primary significant factor for predicting PDP in the aquatic milieu. The results of this investigation demonstrated that MLI predictive modelling techniques can promisingly be exploited to complement the repetitive laboratory-based monitoring of PDP and other pathogens, especially in low-resource settings, in response to seasonal fluxes and can provide insights into the potential public health risks of emerging pathogens and TSS pollution (e.g., nanoparticles and micro- and nanoplastics) in the aquatic milieu. The model outputs provide low-cost and effective early warning information to assist watershed managers and fish farmers in making appropriate decisions about water resource protection, aquaculture management, and sustainable public health protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Temitope C Ekundayo
- SAMRC Microbial Water Quality Monitoring Centre, University of Fort Hare, Alice, Eastern Cape, South Africa; Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, Durban University of Technology, Steve Biko Campus, Steve Biko Rd, Musgrave, Berea, 4001, Durban, South Africa; Department of Microbiology, University of Medical Sciences, Ondo City, Ondo State, Nigeria.
| | - Oluwatosin A Ijabadeniyi
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, Durban University of Technology, Steve Biko Campus, Steve Biko Rd, Musgrave, Berea, 4001, Durban, South Africa
| | - Etinosa O Igbinosa
- SAMRC Microbial Water Quality Monitoring Centre, University of Fort Hare, Alice, Eastern Cape, South Africa; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences University of Benin, Private Mail Bag 1154, Benin City, 300283, Nigeria
| | - Anthony I Okoh
- SAMRC Microbial Water Quality Monitoring Centre, University of Fort Hare, Alice, Eastern Cape, South Africa; Department of Environmental Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, P.O. Box 27272, United Arab Emirates
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Cheng KH, Luo X, Jiao JJ, Yu S. Storm accelerated subsurface Escherichia coli growth and exports to coastal waters. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 441:129893. [PMID: 36084468 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.129893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Storm significantly deteriorates coastal water fecal pollution now and beyond. Questions relating to storm exerting on coastal water safety are often intertwined with both surface water and subsurface processes. Stormwater runoff is a vital metric for coastal water fecal pollution under current cognition, while the controls of subsurface system remain unclear. Here, this study leveraged two time-series field data collected in a sandy beach during storm and non-storm periods to probe subsurface Escherichia coli (E. coli) growth and exports to coastal waters under storm events. Results demonstrated that storm events can not only stimulate subsurface E. coli growth, but also accelerate subsurface E. coli exports into the receiving water. Storm-intensified rainfall injected more oxygenous rainwater in the shallow groundwater, subsequently stimulating subsurface E. coli growth. Storm-strengthened wave energy was responsible for accelerating subsurface E. coli exports through enhanced wave-induced recirculated seawater. This study proposes a new insight for the stress of storm events on microbial pollution in coastal waters. The findings are constructive to the prevention of beach ecosystem pollution and can pave the way for coastal safety management to future extreme weather.
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Affiliation(s)
- K H Cheng
- Department of Earth Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xin Luo
- Department of Earth Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Zhuhai, China.
| | - Jiu Jimmy Jiao
- Department of Earth Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Zhuhai, China
| | - Shengchao Yu
- Department of Earth Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
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Abdool-Ghany AA, Sahwell PJ, Klaus J, Gidley ML, Sinigalliano CD, Solo-Gabriele HM. Fecal indicator bacteria levels at a marine beach before, during, and after the COVID-19 shutdown period and associations with decomposing seaweed and human presence. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 851:158349. [PMID: 36041612 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 08/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Studies are limited that evaluate seaweed as a source of bacteria to beach waters. The objective of the current study was to evaluate whether seaweed, along with humans and other animals, could be the cause of beach advisories due to elevated levels of enterococci. The monitoring period occurred a year prior to and through the COVID-19 beach shutdown period, which provided a unique opportunity to evaluate bacteria levels during prolonged periods without recreational activity. Samples of water, sediment, and seaweed were measured for enterococci by culture and qPCR, in addition to microbial source tracking by qPCR of fecal bacteria markers from humans, dogs, and birds. During periods of elevated enterococci levels in water, these analyses were supplemented by chemical source tracking of human-associated excretion markers (caffeine, sucralose, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and naproxen). Results show that enterococci with elevated levels of human fecal markers persist in the seaweed and sediment and are the likely contributor to elevated levels of bacteria to the nearshore waters. During the shutdown period the elevated levels of enterococci in the sediment were isolated to the seaweed stranding areas. During periods when the beaches were open, enterococci were distributed more uniformly in sediment across the supratidal and intertidal zones. It is hypothesized from this study that human foot traffic may be responsible for the spread of enterococci throughout these areas. Overall, this study found high levels of enterococci in decomposing seaweed supporting the hypothesis that decomposing seaweed provides an additional substrate for enterococci to grow.
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Affiliation(s)
- Afeefa A Abdool-Ghany
- Department of Chemical, Environmental, and Materials Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | - Peter J Sahwell
- Department of Chemical, Environmental, and Materials Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | - James Klaus
- Department of Marine Geosciences, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Miami, Key Biscayne, FL, USA
| | - Maribeth L Gidley
- University of Miami, Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies (CIMAS), Miami, FL, USA; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML), Miami, FL, USA
| | - Christopher D Sinigalliano
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML), Miami, FL, USA
| | - Helena M Solo-Gabriele
- Department of Chemical, Environmental, and Materials Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA.
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Wong YY, Lee CW, Chai SCY, Lim JH, Bong CW, Sim EUH, Narayanan K, Hii YS, Wang AJ. Distribution of faecal indicator bacteria in tropical waters of Peninsular Malaysia and their decay rates in tropical seawater. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 185:114297. [PMID: 36327936 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
We investigated the appropriateness of faecal indicator bacteria in tropical waters. We compared total coliform (undetectable to 7.2 × 105 cfu 100 mL-1), faecal coliform (undetectable to 6.1 × 105 cfu 100 mL-1) and enterococci (undetectable to 3.1 × 104 cfu 100 mL-1) distribution in Peninsular Malaysia. Faecal indicator bacteria was highest in freshwater, and lowest in seawater (q > 4.18, p < 0.01). We also measured the decay rates of Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecium in microcosms. In seawater, average decay rate for E. coli was 0.084 ± 0.029 h-1, and higher than E. faecium (0.048 ± 0.024 h-1) (t = 2.527, p < 0.05). Grazing accounted for 54 % of both E. coli and E. faecium decay. E. coli decayed in the <0.02 μm seawater fraction (0.023 ± 0.012 h-1) but E. faecium sometimes grew. Seawater warming further uncoupled the response from both E. coli and E. faecium as E. faecium grew and E. coli decayed with warming. Our results suggested that the prevalence of faecal indicator bacteria in tropical waters was not due to faecal pollution alone, and this will have serious implications towards the use of these faecal indicator bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi You Wong
- Laboratory of Microbial Ecology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Institute for Advanced Studies, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Choon Weng Lee
- Laboratory of Microbial Ecology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
| | - Stanley Choon Yip Chai
- Laboratory of Microbial Ecology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Institute for Advanced Studies, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Joon Hai Lim
- Laboratory of Microbial Ecology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Institute for Advanced Studies, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Chui Wei Bong
- Laboratory of Microbial Ecology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Edmund Ui Hang Sim
- Faculty of Resource Sciences and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 94300 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia
| | - Kumaran Narayanan
- School of Science, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, 47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Yii Siang Hii
- Pakar Scieno TW Pte. Ltd., 40150 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Ai-Jun Wang
- Laboratory of Coastal and Marine Geology, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen, Fujian 361005, China; Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Physical and Geological Processes, Xiamen, Fujian 361005, China
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Use of Water in Animal Production, Slaughter, and Processing. J Food Prot 2022; 85:1756-1778. [PMID: 36135720 DOI: 10.4315/jfp-22-144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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Mire M, Kim C, Baffaut C, Liu F, Wuliji T, Zheng G. Escherichia cryptic clade II through clade VIII: Rapid detection and prevalence in feces and surface water. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 848:157741. [PMID: 35917960 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Revised: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Bacteria of the cryptic lineage of genus Escherichia, or Escherichia cryptic clades (cryptic clades), are phenotypically indistinguishable from Escherichia coli (E. coli) using standard biochemical tests. Except for clade I (C-I), cryptic clades were hypothetically believed to be environmental but not enteric. If so, they would hinder the interpretation of current E. coli-based water quality (fecal pollution) monitoring in the United States because environmental bacteria do not indicate the presence of harmful fecal material. This study was performed to develop a rapid method for the detection of cryptic clades and to investigate their potential impact on water quality monitoring. By whole-genome comparison, one gene, named ecc (Escherichiacryptic clades), was identified to be unique to C-II through C-VIII. An end-point polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method, eccPCR, was developed by targeting the ecc. The results of in-silico and wet tests demonstrated 100 % sensitivity and specificity of the eccPCR to detect C-II through C-VIII. Based on the EPA Method 1603, 519 presumptive E. coli isolates were obtained from the fecal samples of 13 different host species and 192 isolates from surface water samples taken at four locations in a watershed of mid-Missouri. As indicated by the eccPCR amplification, the overall prevalence of C-II through C-VIII in the presumptive E. coli isolates was estimated to be about 0.6 % in the fecal samples and about 1.6 % in the water samples. Therefore, the potential impact of cryptic clades on water quality monitoring may be limited if EPA Method 1603 is used. Furthermore, clades C-II through C-VIII in stream water samples were found repeatedly only at a single sampling site, but neither at the upstream sites nor five kilometers downstream of the site. The data do not support nor reject the environmental hypothesis about cryptic clades. Further study is needed to determine the implication of the observation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margo Mire
- Department of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Cooperative Research Programs, Lincoln University, 820 Chestnut Street, Jefferson City, MO 65102, United States of America
| | - Chyer Kim
- Agricultural Research Station, Virginia State University, 1 Hayden Dr. Petersburg, VA 23806, United States of America
| | - Claire Baffaut
- USDA ARS Cropping Systems and Water Quality Research Unit, 241 Agricultural Engineering Building, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, United States of America
| | - Fengjing Liu
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI 49931, United States of America
| | - Tumen Wuliji
- Department of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Cooperative Research Programs, Lincoln University, 820 Chestnut Street, Jefferson City, MO 65102, United States of America
| | - Guolu Zheng
- Department of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Cooperative Research Programs, Lincoln University, 820 Chestnut Street, Jefferson City, MO 65102, United States of America.
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Influence of Nutrients and the Native Community on E. coli Survival in the Beach Environment. Appl Environ Microbiol 2022; 88:e0104322. [PMID: 36218359 PMCID: PMC9642020 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01043-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous research has identified E. coli populations that persist in freshwater beach sand distinct from fecal pollution events. This work identifies factors that influence the survival of E. coli in sand using laboratory microcosms to replicate beach conditions. Microcosms were deployed to examine the effect of genetic background, competition with native microbial community, and increased nutrient concentrations on E. coli survival. Survival was comparable between the phylotypes B1 and B2, however, deficiency of stress response greatly reduced survival. In the absence of the native community under nutrient conditions comparable to those observed in sand, E. coli cell densities remained within an order of magnitude of initial concentrations after 5 weeks of incubation. Increased nitrogen was associated with decreased decay rates in the first 2 weeks, and increased carbon appeared to provide an advantage at later time points. However, the highest survival was found with the addition of both carbon and nitrogen. Native sand seeded with fresh Cladophora maintained higher concentrations of E. coli, compared to sand containing decayed Cladophora or no Cladophora. Our findings demonstrate persistent E. coli populations in sand can be affected by the availability of carbon and nitrogen, the ability to regulate stress, and the presence of algal mats (i.e., Cladophora). Further, this work suggests that the native microbial communities may modulate survival by outcompeting E. coli for nutrients. IMPORTANCE Current monitoring for fecal pollution does not account for persistent E. coli populations in freshwater sand, which can result in higher concentrations in water when no threat to human health is present. This work examined the drivers for persistent E. coli populations in sand to aid beach management techniques. We examined the influence of nutrients, including localized sources such as stranded Cladophora, on E. coli populations. We found the major determinant of E. coli survival in freshwater beach sand was the addition of nutrients, specifically carbon and nitrogen concentrations 10-fold higher than baseline concentrations on beaches. This work provides the framework for identifying pollution sources that can promote E. coli survival in sand through the characterization of carbon and nitrogen content, which can be incorporated into beach management techniques. Through this improved knowledge, we can begin to understand E. coli fluctuations in water due to resuspension from sand into water.
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Şanlıtürk G, Güran M. Monitoring of microbiological dynamics in beach sand and seawater samples from recreational and non-recreational beaches over a two-year period. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH 2022; 32:1973-1985. [PMID: 34044711 DOI: 10.1080/09603123.2021.1931049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The frequencies of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and 'aerobic mesophilic bacteria' (AMB) counts in different seasons and marine sources were compared to understand the microbiological dynamics at beaches in N. Cyprus. Also, antibiotic resistance patterns were evaluated. The characterization and AMB enumeration studies were performed by conventional microbiological methods. AMB counts increased from winter to summer significantly (45.5*104 CFU/mL to 2.5*106 CFU/mL). Similarly, percentage detection frequencies of the bacteria were higher in summer compared to winter and were significant particularly for E. coli in both sand and seawater samples in 2019 and 2020 (p = 0.0181, p = 0.0142, p = 0.1257, p = 0.0446, respectively). However, a significant difference was not detected in percentage detection frequencies in terms of different sources or recreational status of beaches. The highest resistance percentages were detected against beta-lactam and lincosamides group of antibiotics. Results of the study signified that regular microbiological monitoring for beaches is essential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gizem Şanlıtürk
- Faculty of Medicine, Eastern Mediterranean University, Famagusta, Turkey
- Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Eastern Mediterranean University, Famagusta, Turkey
| | - Mümtaz Güran
- Faculty of Medicine, Eastern Mediterranean University, Famagusta, Turkey
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12
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Cheng KH, Luo X, Jiao JJ, Yu S. Delineating E. coli occurrence and transport in the sandy beach groundwater system by radon-222. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 431:128618. [PMID: 35278964 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.128618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Fecal pollution poses a global threat to environmental safety and ecosystem, but the mechanism of microbial transport and occurrence in the beach groundwater system is still poorly explored. Here, we leveraged one-year field data of Escherichia coli (E. coli) and radon-222 (222Rn) and found that E. coli occurrence and transport in the sandy beach groundwater system can be delineated by 222Rn. The underlying mechanism behind this phenomenon is due to similar half-lives of 222Rn and E. coli in the sandy beach groundwater system. Thus, the unique relationship between 222Rn and E. coli can provide additional critical context to the microbial water quality assessments and ecosystem resilience. Also, the beach aquifer in this study is found to be a vital compartment for E. coli removal. The net E. coli removal/production capacity is identified to be highly impacted by submarine groundwater discharge. Finally, a conceptual model is constructed for a better understanding of the occurrences and characteristics of E. coli and 222Rn at multiple spatial scales. These findings are constructive to mitigate the hazardous influences of microbe on water quality, especially in recreational sandy beaches and mariculture zones.
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Affiliation(s)
- K H Cheng
- Department of Earth Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xin Luo
- Department of Earth Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Jiu Jimmy Jiao
- Department of Earth Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Shengchao Yu
- Department of Earth Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
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13
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Jiang SC, Bischel HN, Goel R, Rosso D, Sherchan S, Whiteson KL, Yan T, Solo-Gabriele HM. Integrating Virus Monitoring Strategies for Safe Non-potable Water Reuse. WATER 2022; 14:1187. [PMID: 37622131 PMCID: PMC10448804 DOI: 10.3390/w14081187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater reclamation and reuse have the potential to supplement water supplies, offering resiliency in times of drought and helping meet increased water demands associated with population growth. Non-potable water reuse represents the largest potential reuse market. Yet economic constraints for new water reuse infrastructure and safety concerns due to microbial water quality, and especially viral pathogen exposure, limit widespread implementation of water reuse. Cost-effective, real-time methods to measure or indicate viral quality of recycled water would do much to instill greater confidence in the practice. This manuscript discusses advancements in monitoring and modeling of viral health risks in the context of water reuse. First, we describe the current wastewater reclamation processes and treatment technologies with an emphasis on virus removal. Second, we review technologies for the measurement of viruses, both culture- and molecular-based, along with their advantages and disadvantages. We introduce promising viral surrogates and specific pathogenic viruses that can serve as indicators of viral risk for water reuse. We suggest metagenomic analyses for viral screening and flow cytometry for quantification of virus-like particles as new approaches to complement more traditional methods. Third, we describe modeling to assess health risks through quantitative microbial risk assessments (QMRAs), the most common strategy to couple data on virus concentrations with human exposure scenarios. We then explore the potential of artificial neural networks (ANNs) to incorporate suites of data from wastewater treatment processes, water quality parameters, and viral surrogates. We recommend ANNs as a means to utilize existing water quality data, alongside new complementary measures of viral quality, to achieve cost-effective strategies to assess risks associated with infectious human viruses in recycled water. Given the review, we conclude that technologies are ready for identifying and implementing viral surrogates for health risk reduction in the next decade. Incorporating modeling with monitoring data would likely result in more robust assessment of water reuse risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunny C Jiang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
- Water-Energy Nexus Center, 844G Engineering Tower, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-2175
| | - Heather N Bischel
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of California, Davis CA 95616
| | - Ramesh Goel
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112
| | - Diego Rosso
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
- Water-Energy Nexus Center, 844G Engineering Tower, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-2175
| | - Samendra Sherchan
- Department of Environmental Health sciences, Tulane university, New Orleans, LA 70112
| | - Katrine L Whiteson
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Tao Yan
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Water Resources Research Center, University of Hawaii at Manoa, HI 96822, USA
| | - Helena M Solo-Gabriele
- Department of Chemical, Environmental, and Materials Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, 33146, USA
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14
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Ndione M, Ory P, Agion T, Treilles M, Vacher L, Simon-Bouhet B, Le Beguec M, Pineau P, Montanié H, Agogué H. Temporal variations in fecal indicator bacteria in bathing water and sediment in a coastal ecosystem (Aytré Bay, Charente-Maritime, France). MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 175:113360. [PMID: 35134737 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
This study presents the fecal contamination dynamic at the two bathing sites of Aytré Bay (Charente Maritime, France). We quantified fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) abundances (Escherichia coli and enterococci) from water and sediment samples over one-year survey. Then we measured biological (bacterial abundance, chlorophyll-a), physico-chemical (dissolved nutrients and oxygen, salinity, pH …) and climatic (temperatures, rainfall and tidal coefficient) parameters. Results showed that FIB abundances were occasionally higher than the European regulatory threshold during winter, summer and fall. The "poor quality" of the bathing water was due to high enterococci abundance. We found negative significant correlations between FIB and water temperature and salinity, and positive significant correlations between FIB and rainfall, PO4, NO3, NO2, and SiO2 mainly in water. Relationships between parameters showed that during summer and spring the main environmental drivers were temperature and salinity, while in fall and winter they were rainfall and dissolved nutrients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Méry Ndione
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs) UMR 7266 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, La Rochelle, France
| | - Pascaline Ory
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs) UMR 7266 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, La Rochelle, France
| | - Tony Agion
- QUALYSE, Laboratoire d'analyses, La Rochelle, France
| | | | - Luc Vacher
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs) UMR 7266 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, La Rochelle, France
| | - Benoit Simon-Bouhet
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, Chizé, France
| | - Maëlig Le Beguec
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs) UMR 7266 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, La Rochelle, France
| | - Philippe Pineau
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs) UMR 7266 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, La Rochelle, France
| | - Hélène Montanié
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs) UMR 7266 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, La Rochelle, France
| | - Hélène Agogué
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs) UMR 7266 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, La Rochelle, France.
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15
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D'Azeredo Orlando MT, Galvão ES, Passamai JL, Zordan AB, Orlando CGP, Oliveira JP, Gouvea SA, Ribeiro FND, Dos Santos Alves TPD, Soares J. Physicochemical characterization of monazite sand and its associated bacterial species from the beaches of southeastern Brazil. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:11815-11830. [PMID: 34550521 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-16523-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Beaches with monazitic sands show high natural radiation, and the knowledge of this radiation is fundamental to simulate the effects of natural terrestrial radiation on biological systems. Monazite-rich sand from a beach in the southeastern Brazil were collected and analyzed by X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, and magnetic susceptibility. The natural terrestrial radiation of the beach sand showed a positive correlation with the Th and Y elements, which are closely associated with Ce, Nd, Ca, and P, suggesting that this grouping is mainly associated with local natural radiation. Based on the sand characterization, a physical simulator of natural gamma radiation was built with parameters similar to those of the monazite beach sand, considering areas with high natural radiation levels. The simulation revealed that the natural radiation of the monazite sands has a significant effect on reducing the growth of the bacteria strains of E. coli and S. aureus present in the beach sand, with a reduction of 23.8% and 18.4%, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcos Tadeu D'Azeredo Orlando
- Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Avenida Fernando Ferrari, 514, 29075-910, Vitoria, ES, Brazil
| | - Elson Silva Galvão
- Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Avenida Fernando Ferrari, 514, 29075-910, Vitoria, ES, Brazil.
| | - José Luis Passamai
- Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Avenida Fernando Ferrari, 514, 29075-910, Vitoria, ES, Brazil
| | - Alan Bragança Zordan
- Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Avenida Fernando Ferrari, 514, 29075-910, Vitoria, ES, Brazil
| | - Cintia Garrido Pinheiro Orlando
- Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Avenida Fernando Ferrari, 514, 29075-910, Vitoria, ES, Brazil
| | - Jairo Pinto Oliveira
- Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Avenida Fernando Ferrari, 514, 29075-910, Vitoria, ES, Brazil
| | - Sonia Alves Gouvea
- Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Avenida Fernando Ferrari, 514, 29075-910, Vitoria, ES, Brazil
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16
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Brandão J, Weiskerger C, Valério E, Pitkänen T, Meriläinen P, Avolio L, Heaney CD, Sadowsky MJ. Climate Change Impacts on Microbiota in Beach Sand and Water: Looking Ahead. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:1444. [PMID: 35162479 PMCID: PMC8834802 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19031444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Revised: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Beach sand and water have both shown relevance for human health and their microbiology have been the subjects of study for decades. Recently, the World Health Organization recommended that recreational beach sands be added to the matrices monitored for enterococci and Fungi. Global climate change is affecting beach microbial contamination, via changes to conditions like water temperature, sea level, precipitation, and waves. In addition, the world is changing, and humans travel and relocate, often carrying endemic allochthonous microbiota. Coastal areas are amongst the most frequent relocation choices, especially in regions where desertification is taking place. A warmer future will likely require looking beyond the use of traditional water quality indicators to protect human health, in order to guarantee that waterways are safe to use for bathing and recreation. Finally, since sand is a complex matrix, an alternative set of microbial standards is necessary to guarantee that the health of beach users is protected from both sand and water contaminants. We need to plan for the future safer use of beaches by adapting regulations to a climate-changing world.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Brandão
- Department of Environmental Health, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, 1649-016 Lisboa, Portugal;
- Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Chelsea Weiskerger
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA;
| | - Elisabete Valério
- Department of Environmental Health, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, 1649-016 Lisboa, Portugal;
- Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Tarja Pitkänen
- Department of Health Security, The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, 70210 Kuopio, Finland; (T.P.); (P.M.)
- Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00100 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Päivi Meriläinen
- Department of Health Security, The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, 70210 Kuopio, Finland; (T.P.); (P.M.)
| | - Lindsay Avolio
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; (L.A.); (C.D.H.)
| | - Christopher D. Heaney
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; (L.A.); (C.D.H.)
| | - Michael J. Sadowsky
- BioTechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA;
- Department of Soil, Water & Climate, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
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17
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Gallard-Gongora J, Lobos A, Conrad JW, Peraud J, Harwood VJ. An assessment of three methods for extracting bacterial DNA from beach sand. J Appl Microbiol 2021; 132:2990-3000. [PMID: 34932856 DOI: 10.1111/jam.15423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
AIMS Beach water quality is regulated by faecal indicator bacteria levels, sand is not, despite known human health risk from exposure to beach sand. We compared the performance of three methods to extract bacterial DNA from beach sand as a step toward a standard method. METHODS AND RESULTS The analytical sensitivity of quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) for Enterococcus was compared for the slurry (suspension, agitation, membrane filtration of supernatant), versus direct extraction using PowerSoil™ or PowerMax Soil™ kits. The slurry method had the lowest limit of detection at 20-80 gene copies g-1 , recovered significantly more DNA, and the only method that detected Enterococcus by qPCR in all samples; therefore, the only method used in subsequent experiments. The slurry method reflected the spatial variability of Enterococcus in individual transect samples. Mean recovery efficiency of the microbial source tracking marker HF183 from wastewater spiked marine and freshwater beach sand was 100.8% and 64.1%, respectively, but varied, indicating that the mixing protocol needs improvement. CONCLUSIONS Among the three methods, the slurry method had the best analytical sensitivity and produced extracts that were useful for culture or molecular analysis. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF STUDY Standardization of methods for extraction of bacterial DNA from sand facilitates comparisons among studies, and ultimately contributes to the safety of recreational beaches.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Aldo Lobos
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - James W Conrad
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Jayme Peraud
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Valerie J Harwood
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
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18
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Tomenchok LE, Abdool-Ghany AA, Elmir SM, Gidley ML, Sinigalliano CD, Solo-Gabriele HM. Trends in regional enterococci levels at marine beaches and correlations with environmental, global oceanic changes, community populations, and wastewater infrastructure. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 793:148641. [PMID: 34328980 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2021] [Revised: 06/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
An increase in the number of advisories issued for recreational beaches across south Florida (due to the fecal indicator bacteria, enterococci) has been observed in recent years. To evaluate the possible reasons for this increase, we reviewed weekly monitoring data for 18 beaches in Miami-Dade County, Florida, for the years 2000-2019. Our objective was to evaluate this dataset for trends in enterococci levels and correlations with various factors that might have influenced enterococci levels at these beaches. For statistical analyses, we divided the 20-year period of record into 5-year increments (2000-2004, 2005-2009, 2010-2014, and 2015-2019). The Wilcoxon rank sum test was used to identify statistically significant differences between the geometric mean of different periods. When all 18 beaches were collectively considered, a significant increase (p = 0.03) in enterococci was observed during 2015-2019, compared to the prior 15-year period of record. To better understand the potential causes for this increase, correlations were evaluated with environmental parameters (rainfall, air temperature, and water temperature), global oceanic changes (sea level and Sargassum), community populations (county population estimates and beach visitation numbers), and wastewater infrastructure (sewage effluent flow rates to ocean outfalls and deep well injection). In relation to the enterococci geometric mean, the correlation with Sargassum was statistically significant at a 95% confidence interval (p = 0.035). Population (p = 0.078), air temperature (p = 0.092), and sea level (p = 0.098) were statistically significant at 90% confidence intervals. Rainfall, water temperature, beach visitation numbers, and sewage effluent flow rates via deep well injection had positive correlations but were not significant factors. Sewage effluent flow rates to ocean outfalls had a negative correlation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara E Tomenchok
- Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33146, USA
| | - Afeefa A Abdool-Ghany
- Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33146, USA
| | - Samir M Elmir
- Miami-Dade County Health Department, 1725 NW 167 Street, Miami, FL 33056, USA
| | - Maribeth L Gidley
- University of Miami, Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies (CIMAS), Miami, FL 33149, USA; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML), Miami, FL 33149, USA
| | - Christopher D Sinigalliano
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML), Miami, FL 33149, USA
| | - Helena M Solo-Gabriele
- Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33146, USA.
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19
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Byappanahalli MN, Nevers MB, Shively D, Nakatsu CH, Kinzelman JL, Phanikumar MS. Influence of Filter Pore Size on Composition and Relative Abundance of Bacterial Communities and Select Host-Specific MST Markers in Coastal Waters of Southern Lake Michigan. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:665664. [PMID: 34335496 PMCID: PMC8319913 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.665664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Water clarity is often the primary guiding factor in determining whether a prefiltration step is needed to increase volumes processed for a range of microbial endpoints. In this study, we evaluate the effect of filter pore size on the bacterial communities detected by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and incidence of two host-specific microbial source tracking (MST) markers in a range of coastal waters from southern Lake Michigan, using two independent data sets collected in 2015 (bacterial communities) and 2016–2017 (MST markers). Water samples were collected from river, shoreline, and offshore areas. For bacterial communities, each sample was filtered through a 5.0-μm filter, followed by filtration through a 0.22-μm filter, resulting in 70 and 143 filter pairs for bacterial communities and MST markers, respectively. Following DNA extraction, the bacterial communities were compared using 16S rRNA gene amplicons of the V3–V4 region sequenced on a MiSeq Illumina platform. Presence of human (Bacteroides HF183) and gull (Gull2, Catellicoccus marimammalium) host-specific MST markers were detected by qPCR. Actinobacteriota, Bacteroidota, and Proteobacteria, collectively represented 96.9% and 93.9% of the relative proportion of all phyla in the 0.22- and 5.0-μm pore size filters, respectively. There were more families detected in the 5.0-μm pore size filter (368) than the 0.22-μm (228). There were significant differences in the number of taxa between the two filter sizes at all levels of taxonomic classification according to linear discriminant analysis (LDA) effect size (LEfSe) with as many as 986 taxa from both filter sizes at LDA effect sizes greater than 2.0. Overall, the Gull2 marker was found in higher abundance on the 5.0-μm filter than 0.22 μm with the reverse pattern for the HF183 marker. This discrepancy could lead to problems with identifying microbial sources of contamination. Collectively, these results highlight the importance of analyzing pre- and final filters for a wide range of microbial endpoints, including host-specific MST markers routinely used in water quality monitoring programs. Analysis of both filters may increase costs but provides more complete genomic data via increased sample volume for characterizing microbial communities in coastal waters.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Meredith B Nevers
- U.S. Geological Survey, Great Lakes Science Center, Chesterton, IN, United States
| | - Dawn Shively
- U.S. Geological Survey, Great Lakes Science Center, Chesterton, IN, United States.,Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Cindy H Nakatsu
- Department of Agronomy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | | | - Mantha S Phanikumar
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
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20
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Safaie A, Weiskerger CJ, Nevers MB, Byappanahalli MN, Phanikumar MS. Evaluating the impacts of foreshore sand and birds on microbiological contamination at a freshwater beach. WATER RESEARCH 2021; 190:116671. [PMID: 33302038 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.116671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Revised: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Beaches along the Great Lakes shorelines are important recreational and economic resources. However, contamination at the beaches can threaten their usage during the swimming season, potentially resulting in beach closures and/or advisories. Thus, understanding the dynamics that control nearshore water quality is integral to effective beach management. There have been significant improvements in this effort, including incorporating modeling (empirical, mechanistic) in recent years. Mechanistic modeling frameworks can contribute to this understanding of dynamics by determining sources and interactions that substantially impact fecal indicator bacteria concentrations, an index routinely used in water quality monitoring programs. To simulate E. coli concentrations at Jeorse Park beaches in southwest Lake Michigan, a coupled hydrodynamic and wave-current interaction model was developed that progressively added contaminant sources from river inputs, avian presence, bacteria-sediment interactions, and bacteria-sand-sediment interactions. Results indicated that riverine inputs affected E. coli concentrations at Jeorse Park beaches only marginally, while avian, shoreline sand, and sediment sources were much more substantial drivers of E. coli contamination at the beach. By including avian and riverine inputs, as well as bacteria-sand-sediment interactions at the beach, models can reasonably capture the variability in observed E. coli concentrations in nearshore water and bed sediments at Jeorse Park beaches. Consequently, it will be crucial to consider avian contamination sources and water-sand-sediment interactions in effective management of the beach for public health and as a recreational resource and to extend these findings to similar beaches affected by shoreline embayment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ammar Safaie
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States
| | - Chelsea J Weiskerger
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States
| | - Meredith B Nevers
- U.S. Geological Survey, Great Lakes Science Center, Lake Michigan Ecological Research Station, 1574 N. County Road 300 E. Chesterton, Indiana 46304, United States
| | - Muruleedhara N Byappanahalli
- U.S. Geological Survey, Great Lakes Science Center, Lake Michigan Ecological Research Station, 1574 N. County Road 300 E. Chesterton, Indiana 46304, United States
| | - Mantha S Phanikumar
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States.
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21
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Selective survival of Escherichia coli phylotypes in freshwater beach sand. Appl Environ Microbiol 2021; 87:AEM.02473-20. [PMID: 33257315 PMCID: PMC7851694 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02473-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Escherichia coli is used as an indicator of fecal pollution at beaches despite evidence of long-term survival in sand. This work investigated the basis for survival of E. coli through field microcosm experiments and phylotypic characterization of more than >1400 E. coli isolated from sand, sewage, and gulls, enabling identification of long-surviving populations and environmental drivers of their persistence. Microcosms containing populations of E. coli from each source (n=176) were buried in the backshore of Lake Michigan for 45 & 96 days under several different nutrient treatments, including unaltered native sand, sterile autoclaved sand and baked nutrient depleted sand. Availability of carbon and nitrogen and competition with the indigenous community were major factors that influenced E. coli survival. E. coli Clermont phylotypes B1 and A were the most dominant phylotypes surviving seasonally (>6 weeks), regardless of source and nutrient treatment, whereas cryptic clade and D/E phylotypes survived over winter (>300 days). Autoclaved sand, presumably supplying nutrients through increased availability, promoted growth and the presence of the indigenous microbial community reduced this effect. Screening of 849 sand E. coli from four freshwater beaches demonstrated that B1, but also D/E, were the most common phylotypes recovered. Analysis by qPCR for the Gull2, Lachno3 and HB human markers demonstrated only 25% of the samples had evidence of gull waste and none of the samples had evidence of human waste. These findings suggest prevalence of E. coli in the sand could be attributed more to long term surviving populations than to new fecal pollution.IMPORTANCE Fecal pollution monitoring still relies upon the enumeration of E. coli, despite the fact that this organism can survive for prolonged periods and has been shown to be easily transported from sand into surrounding waters through waves and runoff, thus no longer represents recent fecal pollution events. Here, we experimentally demonstrate that regardless of host source, certain genetically distinct subgroups, or phylotypes, survive longer than others under conditions typical of Great Lakes beach sites. We found nutrients were a major driver of survival and could actually promote growth, and the presence of native microorganisms modulated these effects. These insights into the dynamics and drivers of survival will improve the interpretation of E. coli measurements at beaches and inform strategies that could focus on reducing nutrient inputs to beaches or maintaining a robust natural microbiome in beach sand.
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22
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Sibanda T, Ramganesh S. Taxonomic and functional analyses reveal existence of virulence and antibiotic resistance genes in beach sand bacterial populations. Arch Microbiol 2021; 203:1753-1766. [PMID: 33474608 PMCID: PMC7816837 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-020-02165-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2020] [Revised: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Coastal sands are important natural recreational facilities that have become hotspots for tourism and economic development. However, these sands harbour diverse microbial assemblages that play a critical role in the balance between public health and ecology. In this study, targeted high-throughput sequencing analysis was used to identify sand-borne bacterial populations at four public beaches in Durban. The effect of heavy metal in shaping the distribution of bacterial metacommunities was determined using canonical correspondence analysis (CCA), while the functional gene profiles were predicted using PICRUSt2 analysis. Sequences matching those of the bacterial phylum Proteobacteria were the most abundant in all samples, followed by those of the phyla Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Gemmatimonadetes. Genus-level taxonomic analysis showed the presence of 1163 bacterial genera in all samples combined. The distribution of bacterial communities was shaped by heavy metal concentrations, with the distribution of Flavobacteria, Bacteroidia, and Deltaproteobacteria influenced by Pb and Zn, while B and Cr influenced the distribution of Clostridia and Gammaproteobacteria, respectively. Identified antibiotic resistance genes included the peptidoglycan biosynthesis gene II, III, IV, and V, as well as the polymyxin resistance gene, while the virulence genes included the sitA, fimB, aerobactin synthase, and pilL gene. Our findings demonstrate that beach sand-borne bacteria are reservoirs of virulence and antibiotic resistance genes. Contamination of beach sands with heavy metals selects for both heavy metal resistance and antibiotic resistance in beach sand bacterial communities. Children and immunocompromised people engaging in recreational activities on beaches may be exposed to higher risk of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy Sibanda
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Namibia, Windhoek, Namibia.
| | - Selvarajan Ramganesh
- Department of Environmental Sciences, UNISA Florida Campus, Johannesburg, RSA, South Africa
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23
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Environmental factors associated with freshwater recreational water quality in Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada: A path analysis. Epidemiol Infect 2021. [PMCID: PMC8527742 DOI: 10.1017/s0950268821002120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Escherichia coli concentration levels in recreational water are used by beach managers to evaluate the risk of gastrointestinal illness among beachgoers. We examined the relationship between specific environmental factors and E. coli concentration in recreational beaches in the Niagara Region. We analysed E. coli geometric means collected from eight beaches from two of the Great Lakes in the Niagara Region in Ontario, between 2011 and 2019. We applied path analysis to evaluate the relationship between the environmental factors and E. coli concentrations, including whether effects were direct or indirect via a mediator. Turbidity was found to be an important mediator for the indirect effect of environmental variables overall and in beach-specific models. Rainfall and streamflow had a positive indirect effect on E. coli via turbidity and a direct effect in five out of seven beach models. Streamflow was also a mediator for the indirect effect of previous day air temperature in five out of seven models. In three subset models, outfall E. coli concentration was a mediator for the effect of the environmental factors. Using a novel methodological approach, this study identifies important relationships and pathways that predict beach E. coli concentration in freshwater beaches located on two of the Great Lakes.
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Devane ML, Moriarty E, Weaver L, Cookson A, Gilpin B. Fecal indicator bacteria from environmental sources; strategies for identification to improve water quality monitoring. WATER RESEARCH 2020; 185:116204. [PMID: 32745743 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.116204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2019] [Revised: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 07/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
In tropical to temperate environments, fecal indicator bacteria (FIB), such as enterococci and Escherichia coli, can persist and potentially multiply, far removed from their natural reservoir of the animal gut. FIB isolated from environmental reservoirs such as stream sediments, beach sand and vegetation have been termed "naturalized" FIB. In addition, recent research suggests that the intestines of poikilothermic animals such as fish may be colonized by enterococci and E. coli, and therefore, these animals may contribute to FIB concentrations in the aquatic environment. Naturalized FIB that are derived from fecal inputs into the environment, and subsequently adapted to maintain their population within the non-host environment are termed "naturalized enteric FIB". In contrast, an additional theory suggests that some "naturalized" FIB diverged from enteric FIB many millions of years ago and are now normal inhabitants of the environment where they are referred to as "naturalized non-enteric FIB". In the case of the Escherichia genus, the naturalized non-enteric members are identified as E. coli during routine water quality monitoring. An over-estimation of the health risk could result when these naturalized, non-enteric FIB, (that is, not derived from avian or mammalian fecal contamination), contribute to water quality monitoring results. It has been postulated that these environmental FIB belonging to the genera Escherichia and Enterococcus can be differentiated from enteric FIB by genetic methods because they lack some of the genes required for colonization of the host intestine, and have acquired genes that aid survival in the environment. Advances in molecular tools such as next generation sequencing will aid the identification of genes peculiar or "enriched" in particular habitats to discriminate between enteric and environmental FIB. In this appraisal, we have reviewed the research studying "naturalized" FIB, and discussed the techniques for their differentiation from enteric FIB. This differentiation includes the important distinction between enteric FIB derived from fresh and non-recent fecal inputs, and those truly non-enteric environmental microbes, which are currently identified as FIB during routine water quality monitoring. The inclusion of tools for the identification of naturalized FIB (enteric or environmental) would be a valuable resource for future studies assessing water quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan L Devane
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd., 27 Creyke Rd, Ilam, Christchurch, New Zealand.
| | - Elaine Moriarty
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd., 27 Creyke Rd, Ilam, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Louise Weaver
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd., 27 Creyke Rd, Ilam, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Adrian Cookson
- AgResearch Ltd., Hopkirk Research Institute, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand; mEpiLab, School of Veterinary Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Brent Gilpin
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd., 27 Creyke Rd, Ilam, Christchurch, New Zealand
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Kinzelman J, Byappanahalli MN, Nevers MB, Shively D, Kurdas S, Nakatsu C. Utilization of multiple microbial tools to evaluate efficacy of restoration strategies to improve recreational water quality at a Lake Michigan Beach (Racine, WI). J Microbiol Methods 2020; 178:106049. [PMID: 32891633 DOI: 10.1016/j.mimet.2020.106049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 08/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Hydro-meteorological conditions facilitate transport of fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) to the nearshore environment, affecting recreational water quality. North Beach (Racine, Wisconsin, United States), is an exemplar public beach site along Lake Michigan, where precipitation-mediated surface runoff, wave encroachment, stormwater and tributary outflow were demonstrated to contribute to beach advisories. Multiple restoration actions, including installation of a stormwater retention wetland, were successfully deployed to improve recreational water quality. Implementation of molecular methods (e.g. human microbial source tracking markers and Escherichia coli (E. coli) qPCR) assisted in identifying potential pollution sources and improving public health response time. However, periodic water quality failures still occur. As local beach managers reassess restoration measures in response to climatic changes, use of expanded microbial methods (including bacterial community profiling) may contribute to a better understanding of these dynamic environments. In this 2-year study (2015 and 2019), nearshore/offshore Lake Michigan, stormwater, and tributary samples were collected to determine if, 1) the constructed wetland (~50 m from the shoreline) continued to provide stormwater separation/retention and 2) mixing between onshore sources, Root River and Lake Michigan, was increasing due to rising precipitation/lake levels. Monthly rainfall totals were 1.5× higher in 2019 than 2015, coinciding with a 0.63 m lake-level rise. The prevalence of more intense, onshore winds also increased, facilitating interaction between potential reservoirs of FIB with nearshore water through wind driven waves and lake intrusion, e.g. beach sands and the adjacent Root River. While a strong relationship existed between wet weather wetland and North Beach nearshore E. coli concentrations (all sites), bacterial communities were strikingly different. Conversely, bacterial community overlap existed between the Root River mouth and nearshore/offshore sites. These results suggest the constructed wetland can accommodate the climate-related changes observed in this study. Future restoration activities could be directed towards upstream tributary sources in order to minimize microbial contaminants entering Lake Michigan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Kinzelman
- City of Racine, Public Health Department Laboratory, 730 Washington Avenue, Racine, WI 53403, United States of America.
| | - M N Byappanahalli
- U.S. Geological Survey, Great Lakes Science Center, Lake Michigan Ecological Research Station, 1574 N 300 E, Chesterton, IN 46304, United States of America
| | - M B Nevers
- U.S. Geological Survey, Great Lakes Science Center, Lake Michigan Ecological Research Station, 1574 N 300 E, Chesterton, IN 46304, United States of America
| | - D Shively
- U.S. Geological Survey, Great Lakes Science Center, Lake Michigan Ecological Research Station, 1574 N 300 E, Chesterton, IN 46304, United States of America
| | - S Kurdas
- City of Racine, Public Health Department Laboratory, 730 Washington Avenue, Racine, WI 53403, United States of America
| | - C Nakatsu
- Purdue University, Department of Agronomy, 915 West State Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, United States of America
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Shrestha A, Kelty CA, Sivaganesan M, Shanks OC, Dorevitch S. Fecal pollution source characterization at non-point source impacted beaches under dry and wet weather conditions. WATER RESEARCH 2020; 182:116014. [PMID: 32622131 PMCID: PMC8220998 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.116014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Revised: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Though Lake Michigan beaches in Chicago are not impacted by stormwater or wastewater outfalls, several of those beaches often exceed USEPA Beach Action Values (BAVs). We investigated the role of microbial source tracking (MST) as a complement to routine beach monitoring at Chicago beaches. In summer 2016, water samples from nine Chicago beaches were analyzed for E. coli by culture and enterococci by qPCR. A total of 195 archived samples were then tested for human (HF183/BacR287, HumM2), canine (DG3, DG37), and avian (GFD) microbial source tracking (MST) markers. Associations between MST and general fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) measures were evaluated and stratified based on wet and dry weather definitions. Among the 195 samples, HF183/BacR287 was quantifiable in 4%, HumM2 in 1%, DG3 in 6%, DG37 in 2%, and GFD in 23%. The one beach with a dog area was far more likely to have DG3 present in the quantifiable range than other beaches. Exceedance of general FIB BAVs increased the odds of human, dog and avian marker detection. MST marker weighted-average fecal scores for DG3 was 2.4 times, DG37 was 2.1 times, and GFD was 1.6 times higher during wet compared to dry weather conditions. HF183/BacR287 weighted-average fecal scores were not associated with precipitation. Associations between FIB BAV exceedance and MST marker detection were generally stronger in wet weather. Incorporating MST testing into routine beach water monitoring can provide information that beach managers can use when developing protection plans for beaches not impacted by point sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhilasha Shrestha
- Division of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Catherine A Kelty
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Mano Sivaganesan
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Orin C Shanks
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Samuel Dorevitch
- Division of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA; Institute for Environmental Science and Policy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
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Nevers MB, Byappanahalli MN, Nakatsu CH, Kinzelman JL, Phanikumar MS, Shively DA, Spoljaric AM. Interaction of bacterial communities and indicators of water quality in shoreline sand, sediment, and water of Lake Michigan. WATER RESEARCH 2020; 178:115671. [PMID: 32380294 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.115671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2019] [Revised: 01/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Shoreline sand harbors high concentrations of fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) that may be resuspended into the water column through washing and resuspension. Studies have explored coastal processes that influence this sand-water flux for FIB, but little is known about how microbial markers of contamination or the bacterial community interact in the sand-water interface. In this study, we take a three-tiered approach to explore the relationship between bacteria in sand, sediment, and overlying water at three shoreline sites and two associated rivers along an extended freshwater shoreline. Samples were collected over two years and analyzed for FIB, two microbial source tracking (MST) markers (Catellicoccus marimammalium, Gull2; Bacteroides HF183), and targeted metagenomic 16S rRNA gene analysis. FIB was much higher in sand than in water at all three sites. Gull2 marker was abundant in shoreline sand and water while HF183 marker was mostly present in rivers. Overall bacterial communities were dissimilar between sand/sediment and water, indicating little interaction. Sediment composition was generally unfavorable to bacterial resuspension. Results show that FIB and MST markers were effective estimates of short-term conditions at these locations, and bacterial communities in sand and sediment reflected longer-term conditions. Findings are useful for locating contamination sources and targeting restoration by evaluating scope of shoreline degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meredith B Nevers
- U.S. Geological Survey, Great Lakes Science Center, 1574 North 300 East, Chesterton, IN, 46304, USA.
| | | | - Cindy H Nakatsu
- Purdue University, Department of Agronomy, 915 W State Street, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA.
| | - Julie L Kinzelman
- City of Racine Public Health Department, 730 Washington Ave., Racine, WI, 53403, USA.
| | - Mantha S Phanikumar
- Michigan State University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
| | - Dawn A Shively
- Michigan State University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
| | - Ashley M Spoljaric
- Michigan State University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
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Palmer JA, Law JY, Soupir ML. Spatial and temporal distribution of E. coli contamination on three inland lake and recreational beach systems in the upper Midwestern United States. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 722:137846. [PMID: 32197161 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2019] [Revised: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Swimming advisories are commonly posted at public beaches across the United States every year. In Iowa, weekly monitoring of public swimming areas at state and county beaches have resulted in the impairment of numerous lakes for fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) contamination, as detected by E. coli. An extensive study was established to assess the relationships between E. coli contamination of nearshore beach water environments, open lake conditions and beach sands in three recreational beach/lake systems currently impaired for FIB contamination across Iowa. A transect/grab sample based sampling design was implemented across the systems with collections spanning from April through October of 2015 and 2016. Collections of E. coli along water transects identified strong near to far shore gradients of decreasing concentrations in all systems. Results indicate that concentrations of E. coli observed in swimming waters consistently disassociate with concentrations in the broader lake environment. Swimming water E. coli concentrations correlated with elevated beach sand E. coli, samples collected from beach sands uncovered concentrations up to 86,500 times higher than adjacent swimming waters. Results from this study indicate that foreshore beach sands and other beach proximate FIB sources serve as the major contributing source for swimming zone advisories. The current methodology used by state and federal officials includes impairing entire lake waterbodies for FIB contamination of the swimming area. These impairment listings do not accurately reflect the condition(s) of the larger lake environment outside the swimming area and fail to account for beach proximate conditions in the assessment process. Further, this approach provides potentially misleading information to the public and may undermine implementation strategies deployed by resource managers aimed at addressing FIB contamination at recreational swimming areas. Views expressed in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason A Palmer
- Iowa Department of Natural Resources, 502 E 9th Street, Des Moines, IA 50319, USA.
| | - Ji-Yeow Law
- Department of Agriculture and Biosystems Engineering, Iowa State University, 3358 Elings Hall, Bissell Rd, Ames, IA 50011, USA.
| | - Michelle L Soupir
- Department of Agriculture and Biosystems Engineering, Iowa State University, 3358 Elings Hall, Bissell Rd, Ames, IA 50011, USA.
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Bathing Activities and Microbiological River Water Quality in the Paris Area: A Long-Term Perspective. THE HANDBOOK OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/698_2019_397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThis chapter presents the historical aspects regarding swimming in rivers in the Paris region since the seventeenth century, including the concept of fecal contamination indicator bacteria (FIBs) developed at the very beginning of the twentieth century, and historical contamination data covering more than one century in the Paris agglomeration. The sources of microbiological contamination of river waters are quantified, showing the importance of rain events. The present contamination levels are presented with reference to the European Directive for bathing water quality. FIB levels show that the sufficient quality for bathing is not reached yet in any of the monitored stations. A comprehensive data set regarding waterborne pathogens (viruses, Giardia, Cryptosporidium) in the Seine and Marne rivers is presented as a necessary complement to the regulatory FIB data to better evaluate health risks. The last section concludes on the actions to be conducted to improve the rivers’ microbiological quality in the coming years.
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Weiskerger CJ, Brandão J, Ahmed W, Aslan A, Avolio L, Badgley BD, Boehm AB, Edge TA, Fleisher JM, Heaney CD, Jordao L, Kinzelman JL, Klaus JS, Kleinheinz GT, Meriläinen P, Nshimyimana JP, Phanikumar MS, Piggot AM, Pitkänen T, Robinson C, Sadowsky MJ, Staley C, Staley ZR, Symonds EM, Vogel LJ, Yamahara KM, Whitman RL, Solo-Gabriele HM, Harwood VJ. Impacts of a changing earth on microbial dynamics and human health risks in the continuum between beach water and sand. WATER RESEARCH 2019; 162:456-470. [PMID: 31301475 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2019.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Revised: 07/02/2019] [Accepted: 07/03/2019] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Although infectious disease risk from recreational exposure to waterborne pathogens has been an active area of research for decades, beach sand is a relatively unexplored habitat for the persistence of pathogens and fecal indicator bacteria (FIB). Beach sand, biofilms, and water all present unique advantages and challenges to pathogen introduction, growth, and persistence. These dynamics are further complicated by continuous exchange between sand and water habitats. Models of FIB and pathogen fate and transport at beaches can help predict the risk of infectious disease from beach use, but knowledge gaps with respect to decay and growth rates of pathogens in beach habitats impede robust modeling. Climatic variability adds further complexity to predictive modeling because extreme weather events, warming water, and sea level change may increase human exposure to waterborne pathogens and alter relationships between FIB and pathogens. In addition, population growth and urbanization will exacerbate contamination events and increase the potential for human exposure. The cumulative effects of anthropogenic changes will alter microbial population dynamics in beach habitats and the assumptions and relationships used in quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) and process-based models. Here, we review our current understanding of microbial populations and transport dynamics across the sand-water continuum at beaches, how these dynamics can be modeled, and how global change factors (e.g., climate and land use) should be integrated into more accurate beachscape-based models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chelsea J Weiskerger
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - João Brandão
- Department of Environmental Health, National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge, Lisboa, Portugal; Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM) - Department of Animal Biology, University of Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Warish Ahmed
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boogo Road, Dutton Park, Old, 4102, Australia
| | - Asli Aslan
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA, USA
| | - Lindsay Avolio
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Brian D Badgley
- School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Alexandria B Boehm
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Thomas A Edge
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jay M Fleisher
- College of Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA
| | - Christopher D Heaney
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Luisa Jordao
- Department of Environmental Health, National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge, Lisboa, Portugal
| | | | - James S Klaus
- Department of Marine Geosciences, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | | | - Päivi Meriläinen
- Department of Health Security, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Kuopio, Finland
| | | | - Mantha S Phanikumar
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Alan M Piggot
- Department of Earth and Environment, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Tarja Pitkänen
- Department of Health Security, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Clare Robinson
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Michael J Sadowsky
- BioTechnology Institute and Departments of Soil, Water, & Climate, and Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | | | | | - Erin M Symonds
- College of Marine Science, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, FL, USA
| | - Laura J Vogel
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kevan M Yamahara
- Monterrey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Moss Landing, CA, USA
| | - Richard L Whitman
- Great Lakes Science Center, United States Geological Survey, Chesterton, IN, USA
| | - Helena M Solo-Gabriele
- Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | - Valerie J Harwood
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
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von Hoyningen-Huene AJE, Schneider D, Fussmann D, Reimer A, Arp G, Daniel R. Bacterial succession along a sediment porewater gradient at Lake Neusiedl in Austria. Sci Data 2019; 6:163. [PMID: 31471542 PMCID: PMC6717209 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-019-0172-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2019] [Accepted: 07/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
We provide bacterial 16S rRNA community and hydrochemical data from water and sediments of Lake Neusiedl, Austria. The sediments were retrieved at 5 cm intervals from 30–40 cm push cores. The lake water community was recovered by filtration through a 3.0/0.2 µm filter sandwich. For 16S rRNA gene amplicon-based community profiling, DNA was extracted from the sediment and filters and the bacterial V3-V4 regions were amplified and sequenced using a MiSeq instrument (Illumina). The reads were quality-filtered and processed using open source bioinformatic tools, such as PEAR, cutadapt and VSEARCH. The taxonomy was assigned against the SILVA SSU NR 132 database. The bacterial community structure was visualised in relation to water and porewater chemistry data. The bacterial community in the water column is distinct from the sediment. The most abundant phyla in the sediment shift from Proteobacteria to Chloroflexota (formerly Chloroflexi). Ammonium and total alkalinity increase while sulphate concentrations in the porewater decrease. The provided data are of interest for studies targeting biogeochemical cycling in lake sediments. Design Type(s) | source-based data analysis objective • biodiversity assessment objective | Measurement Type(s) | freshwater metagenome | Technology Type(s) | DNA sequencing | Factor Type(s) | Environment • depth | Sample Characteristic(s) | metagenome • Neusiedlersee • lake |
Machine-accessible metadata file describing the reported data (ISA-Tab format)
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Affiliation(s)
- Avril Jean Elisabeth von Hoyningen-Huene
- Genomic and Applied Microbiology and Göttingen Genomics Laboratory, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Dominik Schneider
- Genomic and Applied Microbiology and Göttingen Genomics Laboratory, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Dario Fussmann
- Geobiology, Faculty of Geosciences and Geography, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Andreas Reimer
- Geobiology, Faculty of Geosciences and Geography, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Gernot Arp
- Geobiology, Faculty of Geosciences and Geography, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Rolf Daniel
- Genomic and Applied Microbiology and Göttingen Genomics Laboratory, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.
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Stocker MD, Pachepsky YA, Hill RL, Sellner KG, Macarisin D, Staver KW. Intraseasonal variation of E. coli and environmental covariates in two irrigation ponds in Maryland, USA. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 670:732-740. [PMID: 30909049 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.03.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2018] [Revised: 03/08/2019] [Accepted: 03/08/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The microbial quality of irrigation water is typically assessed by measuring the concentrations of E. coli in irrigation water reservoirs that are variable in space and time. E. coli concentrations are affected by water quality parameters that co-vary with E. coli concentrations and may be easily measured with currently available sensors. The objective of this work was to identify the most influential environmental covariates affecting E. coli concentrations during a three-month biweekly monitoring period within two irrigation ponds in Maryland during the summer of 2017. E. coli levels as well as sensor-based water quality parameters including turbidity, pH, dissolved oxygen, dissolved fluorescent organic matter, conductivity, and chlorophyll were measured at 23 and 34 locations in ponds 1 and 2, respectively. Regression tree analyses were used to determine the most influential water quality parameters for the prediction of E. coli levels. Correlations between E. coli and water quality covariates were not strong and were inconsistently significant. Shoreline sample locations had higher E. coli concentrations than interior pond samples and significant differences were observed when comparing these two groups. Regression trees provided fairly accurate predictions of E. coli levels based on water quality parameters with R2 values ranging from 0.70 to 0.93. Factors identified via the regression trees varied by sampling date but common leading covariates included cyanobacteria, organic matter, and turbidity. Results indicated environmental covariates, sensed either remotely or in situ, could be useful to delineate areas with different E. coli survival conditions across irrigation ponds and potentially other water bodies such as lakes, rivers, or bays.
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Affiliation(s)
- M D Stocker
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, United States of America; USDA-ARS Environmental Microbial and Food Safety Laboratory, United States of America.
| | - Y A Pachepsky
- USDA-ARS Environmental Microbial and Food Safety Laboratory, United States of America
| | - R L Hill
- Environmental Science and Technology, University of Maryland, United States of America
| | - K G Sellner
- Hood College, Frederick, MD, United States of America
| | - D Macarisin
- Office of Regulatory Science, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Food and Drug Administration, College Park, MD 20740, United States of America
| | - K W Staver
- Wye Research and Education Center, University of Maryland, United States of America
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Etheridge JR, Randolph M, Humphrey C. Real-Time Estimates of Escherichia coli Concentrations Using Ultraviolet-Visible Spectrometers. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY 2019; 48:531-536. [PMID: 30951126 DOI: 10.2134/jeq2018.08.0294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Substantial effort has been invested in the development and testing of methods to rapidly measure the concentration of indicator bacteria in recreational waters. These efforts are driven by the need to quickly determine whether waters are contaminated and may pose excessive public health risks. In situ ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectrometers have been used to monitor levels of multiple contaminants in surface waters by relating the absorption spectra to the measured concentrations using regression models. In this study, three different regression models were tested to see if spectroscopy could be used to rapidly predict concentrations in a freshwater stream. The regression models did not produce acceptable results when tested for all of the samples collected during an 11-mo period ( < 0.2). When divided into multiple subsets based on temperature, concentration, or rainfall, models produced adequate results for subsets of samples collected in the cooler months ( = 0.72) or on days when rainfall occurred ( = 0.58). Pairing a UV-vis spectrometer with regression models did not result in a model that could be used to estimate levels throughout the year, but the results promote further testing of this method when flow data is available in freshwaters, on beaches where rainfall causes elevated bacteria levels, and in shellfish growing waters.
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Nevers MB, Byappanahalli MN, Shively D, Buszka PM, Jackson PR, Phanikumar MS. Identifying and Eliminating Sources of Recreational Water Quality Degradation along an Urban Coast. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY 2018; 47:1042-1050. [PMID: 30272790 DOI: 10.2134/jeq2017.11.0461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Restoration of highly degraded urban coastal waters often requires large-scale, complex projects, but in the interim, smaller-scale efforts can provide immediate improvements to water quality conditions for visitor use. We examined short-term efforts to improve recreational water quality near the Grand Calumet River (GC) in the Laurentian Great Lakes. Identified as an Area of Concern (AOC) by the International Joint Commission, the GC has experienced years of industrial and municipal waste discharges, and as a result, coastal beaches have some of the highest rates of beach closings (>70%) in the United States. Project objectives were to identify sources of microbial contamination and to evaluate a short-term management solution to decrease beach closings: during 2015 (partial) and 2016 (season-long), canines were used to deter gull presence. Water samples were analyzed for in 2015 and 2016, and fecal sources were evaluated using microbial source tracking markers (2015): human ( HF183, ), gull (Gull2), and dog (DogBact). Hydrometeorological conditions were simultaneously measured. Results indicated that human, gull, and canine fecal sources were present, with gulls being the dominant source. densities were highly correlated with number of gulls present, Gull2 marker, and turbidity. Gull deterrence decreased and Gull2 marker detection during 2015, but numbers rebounded after program completion. The full-season program in 2016 resulted in lower densities and fewer beach closings. Large-scale restoration efforts are underway at this location, but short-term, small-scale projects can be useful for reducing beach closings and restoring ecosystem services.
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Li X, Peed L, Sivaganesan M, Kelty CA, Nietch C, Shanks OC. Evidence of Genetic Fecal Marker Interactions between Water Column and Periphyton in Artificial Streams. ACS OMEGA 2018; 3:10107-10113. [PMID: 31459140 PMCID: PMC6645356 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.8b01785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2018] [Accepted: 08/16/2018] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Periphyton is a complex mixture of algae, microbes, inorganic sediment, and organic matter that is attached to submerged surfaces in most flowing freshwater systems. This natural community is known to absorb pollutants from the water column, resulting in improved water quality. However, the role of periphyton in the fate and transport of genetic fecal markers suspended in the water column remains unclear. As application of genetic-based methodologies continues to increase in freshwater settings, it is important to identify any interactions that could potentially confound water quality interpretations. A 16 week indoor mesocosm study was conducted to simultaneously measure genetic fecal markers in the water column and in the associated periphyton when subject to wastewater source loading. Treated wastewater effluent was pumped directly from a treatment facility adjacent to the experimental stream facility. Inflow and outflow surface water grabs were paired with the collection of periphyton samples taken from the mesocosm substrates on a weekly basis. Samples were analyzed with three genetic fecal indicator quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction assays targeting Escherichia coli (EC23S857), enterococci (Entero1), and Bacteroidales (GenBac3), as well as, two human host-associated fecal pollution markers (HF183 and HumM2). In addition, periphyton dry mass was measured. During wastewater effluent loading, genetic markers were detected in periphyton at frequencies up to 100% (EC23S857, Entero1, and GenBac3), 59.4% (HF183), and 21.9% (HumM2) confirming sequestration from the water column. Mean net-flux shifts in water column inflow and outflow genetic indicator concentrations further supported interactions between the periphyton and water column. In addition, positive correlations were observed between periphyton dry mass and genetic marker concentrations ranging from r = 0.693 (Entero1) to r = 0.911 (GenBac3). Overall, findings support the notion that genetic markers suspended in the water column can be trapped by periphyton, further suggesting that the benthic environment in flowing freshwater systems may be an important factor to consider for water quality management with molecular methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Li
- Oak
Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, United States
| | - Lindsay Peed
- Office
of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio 45268, United States
| | - Mano Sivaganesan
- Office
of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio 45268, United States
| | - Catherine A. Kelty
- Office
of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio 45268, United States
| | - Christopher Nietch
- Office
of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio 45268, United States
| | - Orin C. Shanks
- Office
of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio 45268, United States
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Alm EW, Daniels-Witt QR, Learman DR, Ryu H, Jordan DW, Gehring TM, Santo Domingo J. Potential for gulls to transport bacteria from human waste sites to beaches. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 615:123-130. [PMID: 28964987 PMCID: PMC6754825 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.09.232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2017] [Revised: 09/20/2017] [Accepted: 09/21/2017] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Contamination of recreational beaches due to fecal waste from gulls complicates beach monitoring and may pose a risk to public health. Gulls that feed at human waste sites may ingest human fecal microorganisms associated with that waste. If these gulls also visit beaches, they may serve as vectors, transporting fecal microorganisms to the beach where they may subsequently contaminate sand and water. In this study, samples collected from landfills, treated wastewater storage lagoons, and public beaches demonstrated a spatial and temporal overlap of markers for gull and human-associated microorganisms. In addition, markers for gull, fecal indicator bacteria, and the human-associated marker, HF183, were detected in gull feces and cloacae samples. Further, HF183 was detected in cloacae samples from gulls that were documented by radio-telemetry traveling between human waste sites and public beaches. This study highlights the potential for gulls that visit human waste sites to disperse human-associated microorganisms in the beach landscape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth W Alm
- Department of Biology & Institute for Great Lakes Research, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI 48859, United States.
| | - Quri R Daniels-Witt
- Department of Biology & Institute for Great Lakes Research, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI 48859, United States
| | - Deric R Learman
- Department of Biology & Institute for Great Lakes Research, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI 48859, United States
| | - Hodon Ryu
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Water Supply Water Resources Division, Cincinnati, OH 45268, United States
| | - Dustin W Jordan
- Department of Biology & Institute for Great Lakes Research, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI 48859, United States
| | - Thomas M Gehring
- Department of Biology & Institute for Great Lakes Research, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI 48859, United States
| | - Jorge Santo Domingo
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Water Supply Water Resources Division, Cincinnati, OH 45268, United States
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Cao Y, Raith MR, Griffith JF. Testing of General and Human-Associated Fecal Contamination in Waters. Methods Mol Biol 2018; 1768:127-140. [PMID: 29717441 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-7778-9_8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
qPCR has become increasingly popular for microbial water quality testing because it is faster, more specific, and more flexible than culture-based methods. However, qPCR method limitations such as quantification bias introduced by reliance on standards and susceptibility to PCR inhibitors are major obstacles for implementation in water testing. This is because water testing requires accurate quantification of rare targets and because environmental waters often contain PCR inhibitors. Digital PCR offers the opportunity to maintain qPCR's advantages over culture-based methods while ameliorating two of qPCR's major limitations: the necessity to run standard curves and high susceptibility to inhibition. Here we describe a complete method for simultaneous testing for a general microbial water quality indicator (Enterococcus spp.) and a human-associated fecal marker in environmental waters. The complete method includes water sampling and filtration to capture bacteria, DNA extraction from bacteria captured on the filter, and droplet digital PCR to quantify the genetic markers from bacteria indicative of general and human-associated fecal contamination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiping Cao
- Southern California Costal Water Research Project Authority, Costa Mesa, CA, USA.
- Source Molecular Corporation, Miami, FL, USA.
| | - Meredith R Raith
- Southern California Costal Water Research Project Authority, Costa Mesa, CA, USA
| | - John F Griffith
- Southern California Costal Water Research Project Authority, Costa Mesa, CA, USA
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Thapaliya D, Hellwig EJ, Kadariya J, Grenier D, Jefferson AJ, Dalman M, Kennedy K, DiPerna M, Orihill A, Taha M, Smith TC. Prevalence and Characterization of Staphylococcus aureus and Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus on Public Recreational Beaches in Northeast Ohio. GEOHEALTH 2017; 1:320-332. [PMID: 32158979 PMCID: PMC7007083 DOI: 10.1002/2017gh000106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2017] [Revised: 10/30/2017] [Accepted: 11/14/2017] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus can cause severe life-threatening illnesses such as sepsis and endocarditis. Although S. aureus has been isolated from marine water and intertidal beach sand, only a few studies have been conducted to assess prevalence of S. aureus at freshwater recreational beaches. As such, we aimed to determine prevalence and molecular characteristics of S. aureus in water and sand at 10 freshwater recreational beaches in Northeast Ohio, USA. Samples were analyzed using standard microbiology methods, and resulting isolates were typed by spa typing and multilocus sequence typing. The overall prevalence of S. aureus in sand and water samples was 22.8% (64/280). The prevalence of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) was 8.2% (23/280). The highest prevalence was observed in summer (45.8%; 55/120) compared to fall (4.2%; 5/120) and spring (10.0%; 4/40). The overall prevalence of Panton-Valentine leukocidin genes among S. aureus isolates was 21.4% (15/70), and 27 different spa types were identified. The results of this study indicate that beach sand and freshwater of Northeast Ohio were contaminated with S. aureus, including MRSA. The high prevalence of S. aureus in summer months and presence of human-associated strains may indicate the possibility of role of human activity in S. aureus contamination of beach water and sand. While there are several possible routes for S. aureus contamination, S. aureus prevalence was higher in sites with wastewater treatment plants proximal to the beaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dipendra Thapaliya
- Department of Biostatistics, Environmental Health Sciences and Epidemiology, College of Public HealthKent State UniversityKentOHUSA
| | - Emily J. Hellwig
- Department of Biostatistics, Environmental Health Sciences and Epidemiology, College of Public HealthKent State UniversityKentOHUSA
| | - Jhalka Kadariya
- Department of Biostatistics, Environmental Health Sciences and Epidemiology, College of Public HealthKent State UniversityKentOHUSA
| | - Dylan Grenier
- Department of Biostatistics, Environmental Health Sciences and Epidemiology, College of Public HealthKent State UniversityKentOHUSA
| | - Anne J. Jefferson
- Department of Geology, College of Arts and SciencesKent State UniversityKentOHUSA
| | - Mark Dalman
- Department of Biostatistics, Environmental Health Sciences and Epidemiology, College of Public HealthKent State UniversityKentOHUSA
| | - Kristen Kennedy
- Department of Biostatistics, Environmental Health Sciences and Epidemiology, College of Public HealthKent State UniversityKentOHUSA
| | - Mackenzi DiPerna
- Department of Biostatistics, Environmental Health Sciences and Epidemiology, College of Public HealthKent State UniversityKentOHUSA
| | - Adrienne Orihill
- Department of Biostatistics, Environmental Health Sciences and Epidemiology, College of Public HealthKent State UniversityKentOHUSA
| | - Mohammed Taha
- Department of Biostatistics, Environmental Health Sciences and Epidemiology, College of Public HealthKent State UniversityKentOHUSA
| | - Tara C. Smith
- Department of Biostatistics, Environmental Health Sciences and Epidemiology, College of Public HealthKent State UniversityKentOHUSA
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Vogel LJ, Edge TA, O'Carroll DM, Solo-Gabriele HM, Kushnir CSE, Robinson CE. Evaluation of methods to sample fecal indicator bacteria in foreshore sand and pore water at freshwater beaches. WATER RESEARCH 2017; 121:204-212. [PMID: 28538189 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2017.05.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2016] [Revised: 05/08/2017] [Accepted: 05/09/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) are known to accumulate in foreshore beach sand and pore water (referred to as foreshore reservoir) where they act as a non-point source for contaminating adjacent surface waters. While guidelines exist for sampling surface waters at recreational beaches, there is no widely-accepted method to collect sand/sediment or pore water samples for FIB enumeration. The effect of different sampling strategies in quantifying the abundance of FIB in the foreshore reservoir is unclear. Sampling was conducted at six freshwater beaches with different sand types to evaluate sampling methods for characterizing the abundance of E. coli in the foreshore reservoir as well as the partitioning of E. coli between different components in the foreshore reservoir (pore water, saturated sand, unsaturated sand). Methods were evaluated for collection of pore water (drive point, shovel, and careful excavation), unsaturated sand (top 1 cm, top 5 cm), and saturated sand (sediment core, shovel, and careful excavation). Ankle-depth surface water samples were also collected for comparison. Pore water sampled with a shovel resulted in the highest observed E. coli concentrations (only statistically significant at fine sand beaches) and lowest variability compared to other sampling methods. Collection of the top 1 cm of unsaturated sand resulted in higher and more variable concentrations than the top 5 cm of sand. There were no statistical differences in E. coli concentrations when using different methods to sample the saturated sand. Overall, the unsaturated sand had the highest amount of E. coli when compared to saturated sand and pore water (considered on a bulk volumetric basis). The findings presented will help determine the appropriate sampling strategy for characterizing FIB abundance in the foreshore reservoir as a means of predicting its potential impact on nearshore surface water quality and public health risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura J Vogel
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Thomas A Edge
- Environment Canada, Canada Center for Inland Waters, Burlington, Ontario, L7S 1A1, Canada
| | - Denis M O'Carroll
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 3K7, Canada; School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Connected Water Institute, University of New South Wales, Manly Vale, NSW 2093, Australia
| | - Helena M Solo-Gabriele
- Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33146, USA
| | - Caitlin S E Kushnir
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Clare E Robinson
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 3K7, Canada.
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40
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Links between bacteria derived from penguin guts and deposited guano and the surrounding soil microbiota. Polar Biol 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-017-2189-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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41
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Wu MZ, O'Carroll DM, Vogel LJ, Robinson CE. Effect of Low Energy Waves on the Accumulation and Transport of Fecal Indicator Bacteria in Sand and Pore Water at Freshwater Beaches. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2017; 51:2786-2794. [PMID: 28186740 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.6b05985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Elevated fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) in beach sand and pore water represent an important nonpoint source of contamination to surface waters. This study examines the physical processes governing the accumulation and distribution of FIB in a beach aquifer. Field data indicate E. coli and enterococci can be transported 1 and 2 m, respectively, below the water table. Data were used to calibrate a numerical model whereby FIB are delivered to a beach aquifer by wave-induced infiltration across the beach face. Simulations indicate FIB rapidly accumulate in a beach aquifer with FIB primarily associated with sand rather than freely residing in the pore water. Simulated transport of E. coli in a beach aquifer is complex and does not correlate with conservative tracer transport. Beaches with higher wave-induced infiltration rate and vertical infiltration velocity (i.e., beaches with higher beach slope and wave height, and lower terrestrial groundwater discharge) had greater E. coli accumulation and E. coli was transported deeper below the beach face. For certain beach conditions, the amount of FIB accumulated in sand over 5-6 days was found to be sufficient to trigger a beach advisory if eroded to surface water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Zhi Wu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Western University , London ON, Canada N6A 5B9
| | - Denis M O'Carroll
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Western University , London ON, Canada N6A 5B9
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Connected Water Initiative, University of New South Wales , Manly Vale NSW 2093, Australia
| | - Laura J Vogel
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Western University , London ON, Canada N6A 5B9
| | - Clare E Robinson
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Western University , London ON, Canada N6A 5B9
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Distribution and Differential Survival of Traditional and Alternative Indicators of Fecal Pollution at Freshwater Beaches. Appl Environ Microbiol 2017; 83:AEM.02881-16. [PMID: 27940538 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02881-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2016] [Accepted: 12/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Alternative indicators have been developed that can be used to identify host sources of fecal pollution, yet little is known about how their distribution and fate compare to traditional indicators. Escherichia coli and enterococci were widely distributed at the six beaches studied and were detected in almost 95% of water samples (n = 422) and 100% of sand samples (n = 400). Berm sand contained the largest amount of E. coli (P < 0.01), whereas levels of enterococci were highest in the backshore (P < 0.01). E. coli and enterococci were the lowest in water, using a weight-to-volume comparison. The gull-associated Catellicoccus marimammalium (Gull2) marker was found in over 80% of water samples, regardless of E. coli levels, and in 25% of sand samples. Human-associated Bacteroides (HB) and Lachnospiraceae (Lachno2) were detected in only 2.4% of water samples collected under baseflow and post-rain conditions but produced a robust signal after a combined sewage overflow, despite low E. coli concentrations. Burdens of E. coli and enterococci in water and sand were disproportionately high in relation to alternative indicators when comparing environmental samples to source material. In microcosm studies, Gull2, HB, and Lachno2 quantitative PCR (qPCR) signals were reduced twice as quickly as those from E. coli and enterococci and approximately 20% faster than signals from culturable E. coli High concentrations of alternative indicators in source material illustrated their high sensitivity for the identification of fecal sources; however, differential survival and the potential for long-term persistence of traditional fecal indicators complicate the use of alternative indicator data to account for the levels of E. coli and enterococci in environmental samples. IMPORTANCE E. coli and enterococci are general indicators of fecal pollution and may persist in beach sand, making their use problematic for many applications. This study demonstrates that gull fecal pollution is widespread at Great Lakes beaches, whereas human and ruminant contamination is evident only after major rain events. An exploration of sand as a reservoir for indicators found that E. coli was ubiquitous, while gull host markers were detected in only 25% of samples. In situ sand beach microcosms provided decay rate constants for E. coli and enterococci relative to alternative indicators, which establish comparative benchmarks that would be helpful to distinguish recent from past pollution. Overall, alternative indicators are useful for identifying sources and assessing potentially high health risk contamination events; however, beach managers should be cautious in attempting to directly link their detection to the levels of E. coli or enterococci.
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Abreu R, Figueira C, Romão D, Brandão J, Freitas MC, Andrade C, Calado G, Ferreira C, Campos A, Prada S. Sediment characteristics and microbiological contamination of beach sand - A case-study in the archipelago of Madeira. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2016; 573:627-638. [PMID: 27585431 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.08.160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2016] [Revised: 08/21/2016] [Accepted: 08/22/2016] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Beach sand can harbour pathogenic and opportunistic microorganisms, as well as faecal indicator bacteria that influence directly the bathing water quality. Pathogenic and opportunistic microorganisms often raise concern of exposure during beach related recreational activities. In this work, three different types of sandy beaches (natural basaltic, natural calcareous and artificial calcareous) of the Archipelago of Madeira (Portugal) were sampled for bacterial and fungal contaminants and grain size distribution, during four years (2010-2013). Following an extreme weather event in 2010, the faecal indicator bacteria levels spiked, returning to base levels shortly thereafter. The same phenomenon occurred with fungi, where potentially pathogenic fungi were the dominant group. Yeast-like fungi and dermatophytes were, however, mainly associated to months of higher usage by recreational users. Statistical analysis showed higher contamination of sediment in artificial beaches compared to natural beaches and granulometry and chemical composition of sand did not influence in the microbial loads. Instead, bather density and the influence of coastal protection structures needed to maintain the volume of artificial beach sand regarding the removal potential of wave induced currents are obvious influencing factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Abreu
- Faculdade de Ciências Exatas e da Engenharia da Universidade da Madeira, Campus Universitário da Penteada, 9000-390 Funchal, Madeira, Portugal
| | - Celso Figueira
- Faculdade de Ciências Exatas e da Engenharia da Universidade da Madeira, Campus Universitário da Penteada, 9000-390 Funchal, Madeira, Portugal.
| | - Daniela Romão
- Instituto Nacional de Saúde Dr. Ricardo Jorge, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - João Brandão
- Instituto Nacional de Saúde Dr. Ricardo Jorge, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - M Conceição Freitas
- Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Instituto Dom Luis, Bloco C6, 3° piso, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - César Andrade
- Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Instituto Dom Luis, Bloco C6, 3° piso, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Graça Calado
- Laboratório de Saúde Pública, IASaúde, Rua das Pretas n° 1, 9004-515 Funchal, Portugal
| | - Carmen Ferreira
- Laboratório Regional de Veterinária e Segurança Alimentar, Caminho das Quebradas de Baixo n° 79, 9000-254 Funchal, Portugal
| | - Ana Campos
- Laboratório Regional de Veterinária e Segurança Alimentar, Caminho das Quebradas de Baixo n° 79, 9000-254 Funchal, Portugal
| | - Susana Prada
- Faculdade de Ciências Exatas e da Engenharia da Universidade da Madeira, Campus Universitário da Penteada, 9000-390 Funchal, Madeira, Portugal; Centro de Vulcanologia e Avaliação de Riscos Geológicos, Universidade dos Açores, 9501-801 Ponta Delgada, Açores, Portugal
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Staley ZR, Edge TA. Comparative microbial source tracking methods for identification of fecal contamination sources at Sunnyside Beach in the Toronto region area of concern. JOURNAL OF WATER AND HEALTH 2016; 14:839-850. [PMID: 27740549 DOI: 10.2166/wh.2016.296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Several beaches within the Toronto region area of concern have persistent issues with fecal contamination, causing a beach beneficial use impairment (BUI). In this study, Escherichia coli, including ampicillin-resistant strains, were enumerated via culturable and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) methods. Microbial source tracking (MST) markers (for general Bacteroidales, human, ruminant/cow, gull, and dog) were detected and enumerated via PCR and qPCR to identify sources of fecal contamination at Sunnyside Beach and in the Humber River. Human, cow, and dog markers had good host-specificity, while gull markers sometimes amplified a few other bird species. The ruminant endpoint PCR marker amplified a variety of other animal species rendering it less useful. Both human and gull fecal contamination were prevalent in the Humber River, while Sunnyside Beach was predominantly impacted by gull fecal contamination. Human sewage impacts were more prevalent in the lower Humber River, particularly in Black Creek. However, to reduce Sunnyside beach postings, reducing bird fecal contamination in the river and at the beach would be necessary. When there are high levels of E. coli throughout a beachshed, an MST toolbox approach can add value to discriminate source(s) of E. coli contamination and guide decisions relating to public health risk and remediation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachery R Staley
- Environment Canada, Water Science and Technology Directorate, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, Ontario L7R 4A6, Canada E-mail:
| | - Thomas A Edge
- Environment Canada, Water Science and Technology Directorate, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, Ontario L7R 4A6, Canada E-mail:
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Vogel LJ, O'Carroll DM, Edge TA, Robinson CE. Release of Escherichia coli from Foreshore Sand and Pore Water during Intensified Wave Conditions at a Recreational Beach. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2016; 50:5676-5684. [PMID: 27120087 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.6b00707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Foreshore beach sands and pore water may act as a reservoir and nonpoint source of fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) to surface waters. This paper presents data collected at a fine sand beach on Lake Huron, Canada over three field events. The data show that foreshore sand erosion as wave height increases results in elevated Escherichia coli concentrations in surface water, as well as depletion of E. coli from the foreshore sand and pore water. E. coli initially attached to foreshore sand rather than initially residing in the pore water was found to be the main contributor to elevated surface water concentrations. Surface water E. coli concentrations were a function of not only wave height (and associated sand erosion) but also the time elapsed since a preceding period of high wave intensity. This finding is important for statistical regression models used to predict beach advisories. While calculations suggest that foreshore sand erosion may be the dominant mechanism for releasing E. coli to surface water during intensified wave conditions at a fine sand beach, comparative characterization of the E. coli distribution at a coarse sand-cobble beach suggests that interstitial pore water flow and discharge may be more important for coarser sand beaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura J Vogel
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Western Ontario , London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Denis M O'Carroll
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Western Ontario , London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Thomas A Edge
- Environment Canada, Canada Center for Inland Waters, Burlington, Ontario L7S 1A1, Canada
| | - Clare E Robinson
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Western Ontario , London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada
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46
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Feng Z, Reniers A, Haus BK, Solo-Gabriele HM, Kelly EA. Wave energy level and geographic setting correlate with Florida beach water quality. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2016; 104:54-60. [PMID: 26892203 PMCID: PMC4804752 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2015] [Revised: 01/19/2016] [Accepted: 02/01/2016] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Many recreational beaches suffer from elevated levels of microorganisms, resulting in beach advisories and closures due to lack of compliance with Environmental Protection Agency guidelines. We conducted the first statewide beach water quality assessment by analyzing decadal records of fecal indicator bacteria (enterococci and fecal coliform) levels at 262 Florida beaches. The objectives were to depict synoptic patterns of beach water quality exceedance along the entire Florida shoreline and to evaluate their relationships with wave condition and geographic location. Percent exceedances based on enterococci and fecal coliform were negatively correlated with both long-term mean wave energy and beach slope. Also, Gulf of Mexico beaches exceeded the thresholds significantly more than Atlantic Ocean ones, perhaps partially due to the lower wave energy. A possible linkage between wave energy level and water quality is beach sand, a pervasive nonpoint source that tends to harbor more bacteria in the low-wave-energy environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhixuan Feng
- Department of Ocean Sciences, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL 33149, USA; NSF NIEHS Oceans and Human Health Center, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL 33149, USA; Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA.
| | - Ad Reniers
- Department of Hydraulic Engineering, Environmental Fluid Mechanics Section, Delft University of Technology, Stevinweg 1, 2628CN Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Brian K Haus
- Department of Ocean Sciences, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL 33149, USA; NSF NIEHS Oceans and Human Health Center, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL 33149, USA
| | - Helena M Solo-Gabriele
- NSF NIEHS Oceans and Human Health Center, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL 33149, USA; Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, 1251 Memorial Drive, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33146, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Kelly
- NSF NIEHS Oceans and Human Health Center, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL 33149, USA; Leonard and Jayne Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33146, USA
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Camarda A, Circella E, Pennelli D, Madio A, Bruni G, Lagrasta V, Marzano G, Mallia E, Campagnari E. Wild Birds As Biological Indicators Of Environmental Pollution: Biotyping And Antimicrobial Resistance Patterns OfEscherichia ColiIsolated From Audouin'S Gulls (Larus Audouinii) Living In The Bay Of Gallipoli (Italy). ITALIAN JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE 2016. [DOI: 10.4081/ijas.2006.287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Staley ZR, Robinson C, Edge TA. Comparison of the occurrence and survival of fecal indicator bacteria in recreational sand between urban beach, playground and sandbox settings in Toronto, Ontario. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2016; 541:520-527. [PMID: 26432162 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.09.088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2015] [Revised: 09/16/2015] [Accepted: 09/16/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
While beach sands are increasingly being studied as a reservoir of fecal indicator bacteria (FIB), less is known about the occurrence of FIB in other recreational sands (i.e., sandboxes and playgrounds). In this study, different culture-based FIB enumeration techniques were compared and microbial source tracking assays were conducted on recreational sand samples from beaches, playgrounds and sandboxes around Toronto, ON. FIB were detected in every sand sample (n=104) with concentrations not changing significantly over the five month sampling period. Concentrations of FIB and a gull-specific DNA marker were significantly higher in foreshore beach sands, and indicated these were a more significant reservoir of FIB contamination than sandbox or playground sands. Human- and dog-specific contamination markers were not detected. All culture-based FIB enumeration techniques were consistent in identifying the elevated FIB concentrations associated with foreshore beach sands. However, significant differences between differential agar media, IDEXX and Aquagenx Compartment Bag Test were observed, with DC media and Enterolert being the most sensitive methods to detect Escherichia coli and enterococci, respectively. To better understand the elevated occurrence of E. coli in foreshore sands, microcosm survival experiments were conducted at two different temperatures (15 °C and 28 °C) using non-sterile saturated foreshore beach sands collected from two urban freshwater beaches with different sand type (fine grain and sand-cobble). Microcosms were inoculated with a mixture of eight sand-derived E. coli strains and sampled over a 28-day period. E. coli levels were found to decline in all microcosms, although survival was significantly greater in the finer sand and at the cooler temperature (15 °C). These results indicate that FIB can be widespread in any type of recreational sand and, while E. coli can survive for many weeks, it is most likely to accumulate in cooler fine-grain sand as occurs below the foreshore sand surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachery R Staley
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Western University, London, ON, Canada; Environment Canada, Canada Centre for Inland Waters, Burlington, ON, Canada.
| | - Clare Robinson
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Thomas A Edge
- Environment Canada, Canada Centre for Inland Waters, Burlington, ON, Canada
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Abia ALK, Ubomba-Jaswa E, Momba MNB. Impact of seasonal variation on Escherichia coli concentrations in the riverbed sediments in the Apies River, South Africa. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2015; 537:462-469. [PMID: 26318680 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.07.132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2015] [Revised: 07/27/2015] [Accepted: 07/27/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Many South Africans living in resource-poor settings with little or no access to pipe-borne water still rely on rivers as alternative water sources for drinking and other purposes. The poor microbial quality of such water bodies calls for appropriate monitoring. However, routine monitoring only takes into consideration the microbial quality of the water column, and does not include monitoring of the riverbed sediments for microbial pollution. This study sought to investigate the microbial quality of riverbed sediments in the Apies River, Gauteng Province, South Africa, using Escherichia coli as a faecal indicator organism and to investigate the impact of seasonal variation on its abundance. Weekly samples were collected at 10 sampling sites on the Apies River between May and August 2013 (dry season) and between January and February 2014 (wet season). E. coli was enumerated using the Colilert®-18 Quanti-Tray® 2000 system. All sites tested positive for E. coli. Wastewater treatment work effluents had the highest negative impact on the river water quality. Seasonal variations had an impact on the concentration of E. coli both in water and sediments with concentrations increasing during the wet season. A strong positive correlation was observed between temperature and the E. coli concentrations. We therefore conclude that the sediments of the Apies River are heavily polluted with faecal indicator bacteria and could also harbour other microorganisms including pathogens. The release of such pathogens into the water column as a result of the resuspension of sediments due to extreme events like floods or human activities could increase the health risk of the populations using the untreated river water for recreation and other household purposes. There is therefore an urgent need to reconsider and review the current South African guidelines for water quality monitoring to include sediments, so as to protect human health and other aquatic lives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akebe Luther King Abia
- Department of Environmental, Water and Earth Science, Tshwane University of Technology, Arcadia Campus, 175 Nelson Mandela Drive, Pretoria 0001, South Africa.
| | - Eunice Ubomba-Jaswa
- Natural Resources and the Environment, CSIR, PO Box 395, Pretoria 0001, South Africa
| | - Maggy Ndombo Benteke Momba
- Department of Environmental, Water and Earth Science, Tshwane University of Technology, Arcadia Campus, 175 Nelson Mandela Drive, Pretoria 0001, South Africa.
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Chandrasekaran R, Hamilton MJ, Wang P, Staley C, Matteson S, Birr A, Sadowsky MJ. Geographic isolation of Escherichia coli genotypes in sediments and water of the Seven Mile Creek - A constructed riverine watershed. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2015; 538:78-85. [PMID: 26298250 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2015] [Revised: 08/03/2015] [Accepted: 08/04/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Escherichia coli is used to indicate fecal contamination in freshwater systems and is an indicator of the potential presence of human pathogens. However, naturalized E. coli strains that persist and grow in the environment confound the use of this bacterium as a fecal indicator. Here we examined the spatial and temporal distribution of E. coli in water and sediments of the Seven Mile Creek (SMC), a constructed, ephemeral watershed. E. coli concentrations showed variation by site and date, likely due to changes in temperature and rainfall. Horizontal fluorophore enhanced rep-PCR (HFERP) DNA fingerprint analyses indicated that E. coli populations were very diverse and consisted of transient and naturalized strains, which were especially prevalent in sediment. E. coli fingerprints from water and sediment collected in the same year clustered together with significant overlap, indicating exchange of strains between matrices. Isolates obtained during periods of flow, but not during non-flow conditions, clustered together regardless of sample site, indicating that transport between sites occurred. Naturalized E. coli strains were found in the SMC and strains become geographically isolated and distinct during non-flow conditions. Isolates collected during late spring to fall clustered together at each site, suggesting that temperature and growth of naturalized strains are likely factors affecting population dynamics. Results of this study show that newly introduced and naturalized E. coli strains are present in the SMC. Results of this study highlight an important concern for resource managers using this species for water quality monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Matthew J Hamilton
- BioTechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA; Department of Soil, Water, and Climate, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Ping Wang
- BioTechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Christopher Staley
- BioTechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Scott Matteson
- Water Resource Center, Minnesota State University, Mankato, MN 55108, USA.
| | - Adam Birr
- Minnesota Department of Agriculture, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA.
| | - Michael J Sadowsky
- BioTechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA; Department of Soil, Water, and Climate, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA.
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