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Makk J, Toumi M, Krett G, Lange-Enyedi NT, Schachner-Groehs I, Kirschner AKT, Tóth E. Temporal changes in the morphological and microbial diversity of biofilms on the surface of a submerged stone in the Danube River. Biol Futur 2024:10.1007/s42977-024-00228-0. [PMID: 38970754 DOI: 10.1007/s42977-024-00228-0] [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: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/08/2024]
Abstract
Epilithic biofilms are ubiquitous in large river environments and are crucial for biogeochemical processes, but their community structures and functions remain poorly understood. In this paper, the seasonal succession in the morphological structure and the taxonomic composition of an epilithic bacterial biofilm community at a polluted site of the Danube River were followed using electron microscopy, high-throughput 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and multiplex/taxon-specific PCRs. The biofilm samples were collected from the same submerged stone and carried out bimonthly in the littoral zone of the Danube River, downstream of a large urban area. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the biofilm was composed of diatoms and a variety of bacteria with different morphologies. Based on amplicon sequencing, the bacterial communities were dominated by the phyla Pseudomonadota and Bacteroidota, while the most abundant archaea belonged to the phyla Nitrososphaerota and Nanoarchaeota. The changing environmental factors had an effect on the composition of the epilithic microbial community. Critical levels of faecal pollution in the water were associated with increased relative abundance of Sphaerotilus, a typical indicator of "sewage fungus", but the composition and diversity of the epilithic biofilms were also influenced by several other environmental factors such as temperature, water discharge and total suspended solids (TSS). The specific PCRs showed opportunistic pathogenic bacteria (e.g. Pseudomonas spp., Legionella spp., P. aeruginosa, L. pneumophila, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia) in some biofilm samples, but extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) genes and macrolide resistance genes could not be detected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judit Makk
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Institute of Biology, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. Sétány 1/C, 1117, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Marwene Toumi
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Institute of Biology, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. Sétány 1/C, 1117, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gergely Krett
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Institute of Biology, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. Sétány 1/C, 1117, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Nóra Tünde Lange-Enyedi
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Institute of Biology, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. Sétány 1/C, 1117, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Iris Schachner-Groehs
- Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Institute of Hygiene and Applied Immunology - Water Microbiology, Medical University of Vienna, Kinderspitalgasse 15, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Alexander K T Kirschner
- Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Institute of Hygiene and Applied Immunology - Water Microbiology, Medical University of Vienna, Kinderspitalgasse 15, 1090, Vienna, Austria
- Division Water Quality and Health, Department Pharmacology, Physiology and Microbiology, Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, Dr.-Karl-Dorrek-Straße 30, 3500, Krems an Der Donau, Austria
| | - Erika Tóth
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Institute of Biology, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. Sétány 1/C, 1117, Budapest, Hungary
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Campostrini L, Proksch P, Jakwerth S, Farnleitner AH, Kirschner AKT. Introducing bacterial community turnover times to elucidate temporal and spatial hotspots of biological instability in a large Austrian drinking water distribution network. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 252:121188. [PMID: 38324987 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121188] [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: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Ensuring biological stability in drinking water distribution systems (DWDSs) is important to reduce the risk of aesthetic, operational and hygienic impairments of the distributed water. Drinking water after treatment often changes in quality during transport due to interactions with pipe-associated biofilms, temperature increases and disinfectant residual decay leading to potential biological instability. To comprehensively assess the potential for biological instability in a large chlorinated DWDS, a tool-box of bacterial biomass and activity parameters was applied, introducing bacterial community turnover times (BaCTT) as a direct, sensitive and easy-to-interpret quantitative parameter based on the combination of 3H-leucine incorporation with bacterial biomass. Using BaCTT, hotspots and periods of bacterial growth and potential biological instability could be identified in the DWDS that is fed by water with high bacterial growth potential. A de-coupling of biomass from activity parameters was observed, suggesting that bacterial biomass parameters depict seasonally fluctuating raw water quality rather than processes related to biological stability of the finished water in the DWDS. BaCTT, on the other hand, were significantly correlated to water age, disinfectant residual, temperature and a seasonal factor, indicating a higher potential of biological instability at more distant sampling sites and later in the year. As demonstrated, BaCTT is suggested as a novel, sensitive and very useful parameter for assessing the biological instability potential. However, additional studies in other DWDSs are needed to investigate the general applicability of BaCTT depending on water source, applied treatment processes, biofilm growth potential on different pipe materials, or size, age and complexity of the DWDS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena Campostrini
- Medical University of Vienna, Centre for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Institute for Hygiene and Applied Immunology - Water Microbiology, Kinderspitalgasse 15, Vienna A-1090, Austria; Interuniversity Cooperation Centre Water & Health, Austria
| | - Philipp Proksch
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Institute of Sanitary Engineering and Water Pollution Control, Muthgasse 18, Vienna A-1190, Austria
| | - Stefan Jakwerth
- Medical University of Vienna, Centre for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Institute for Hygiene and Applied Immunology - Water Microbiology, Kinderspitalgasse 15, Vienna A-1090, Austria; Interuniversity Cooperation Centre Water & Health, Austria
| | - Andreas H Farnleitner
- Interuniversity Cooperation Centre Water & Health, Austria; Division Water Quality and Health, Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, Dr. Karl Dorrek-Straße 30, Krems A-3500, Austria; Technische Universität Wien, Institute for Chemical, Environmental and Bioscience Engineering, Research Group Microbiology and Molecular Diagnostics 166/5/3, Gumpendorferstraße 1, Vienna A-1060, Austria
| | - Alexander K T Kirschner
- Medical University of Vienna, Centre for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Institute for Hygiene and Applied Immunology - Water Microbiology, Kinderspitalgasse 15, Vienna A-1090, Austria; Interuniversity Cooperation Centre Water & Health, Austria; Division Water Quality and Health, Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, Dr. Karl Dorrek-Straße 30, Krems A-3500, Austria.
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3
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Schachner-Groehs I, Koller M, Leopold M, Kolm C, Linke RB, Jakwerth S, Kolarević S, Kračun-Kolarević M, Kandler W, Sulyok M, Vierheilig J, Toumi M, Farkas R, Toth E, Kittinger C, Zarfel G, Farnleitner AH, Kirschner AKT. Linking antibiotic resistance gene patterns with advanced faecal pollution assessment and environmental key parameters along 2300 km of the Danube River. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 252:121244. [PMID: 38340455 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121244] [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: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
The global spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the environment is a growing health threat. Large rivers are of particular concern as they are highly impacted by wastewater discharge while being vital lifelines serving various human needs. A comprehensive understanding of occurrence, spread and key drivers of AMR along whole river courses is largely lacking. We provide a holistic approach by studying spatiotemporal patterns and hotspots of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) along 2311 km of the navigable Danube River, combining a longitudinal and temporal monitoring campaign. The integration of advanced faecal pollution diagnostics and environmental and chemical key parameters allowed linking ARG concentrations to the major pollution sources and explaining the observed patterns. Nine AMR markers, including genes conferring resistance to five different antibiotic classes of clinical and environmental relevance, and one integrase gene were determined by probe-based qPCR. All AMR targets could be quantified in Danube River water, with intI1 and sul1 being ubiquitously abundant, qnrS, tetM, blaTEM with intermediate abundance and blaOXA-48like, blaCTX-M-1 group, blaCTX-M-9 group and blaKPC genes with rare occurrence. Human faecal pollution from municipal wastewater discharges was the dominant factor shaping ARG patterns along the Danube River. Other significant correlations of specific ARGs were observed with discharge, certain metals and pesticides. In contrast, intI1 was not associated with wastewater but was already established in the water microbiome. Animal contamination was detected only sporadically and was correlated with ARGs only in the temporal sampling set. During temporal monitoring, an extraordinary hotspot was identified emphasizing the variability within natural waters. This study provides the first comprehensive baseline concentrations of ARGs in the Danube River and lays the foundation for monitoring future trends and evaluating potential reduction measures. The applided holistic approach proved to be a valuable methodological contribution towards a better understanding of the environmental occurrence of AMR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris Schachner-Groehs
- Institute of Hygiene and Applied Immunology - Water Microbiology, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Kinderspitalgasse 15, Vienna 1090, Austria
| | - Michael Koller
- Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University Graz, Neue Stiftingtalstraße 6, Graz 8010, Austria
| | - Melanie Leopold
- Division Water Quality and Health, Department Pharmacology, Physiology and Microbiology, Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, Dr.-Karl-Dorrek-Straße 30, Krems an der Donau 3500, Austria
| | - Claudia Kolm
- Division Water Quality and Health, Department Pharmacology, Physiology and Microbiology, Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, Dr.-Karl-Dorrek-Straße 30, Krems an der Donau 3500, Austria; Institute of Chemical, Environmental and Bioscience Engineering, Research Group Microbiology and Molecular Diagnostics, Technische Universität Wien, Gumpendorfer Straße 1A/166, Vienna 1060, Austria
| | - Rita B Linke
- Institute of Chemical, Environmental and Bioscience Engineering, Research Group Microbiology and Molecular Diagnostics, Technische Universität Wien, Gumpendorfer Straße 1A/166, Vienna 1060, Austria
| | - Stefan Jakwerth
- Institute of Hygiene and Applied Immunology - Water Microbiology, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Kinderspitalgasse 15, Vienna 1090, Austria
| | - Stoimir Kolarević
- Department of Hydroecology and Water Protection, Institute for Biological Research ¨Siniša Stanković¨, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, Belgrade 11060, Serbia
| | - Margareta Kračun-Kolarević
- Department of Hydroecology and Water Protection, Institute for Biological Research ¨Siniša Stanković¨, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, Belgrade 11060, Serbia
| | - Wolfgang Kandler
- Department of Agrotechnology (IFA-Tulln), Institute of Bioanalytics and Agro-Metabolomics, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Konrad-Lorenz-Straße 20, Tulln an der Donau 3430, Austria
| | - Michael Sulyok
- Department of Agrotechnology (IFA-Tulln), Institute of Bioanalytics and Agro-Metabolomics, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Konrad-Lorenz-Straße 20, Tulln an der Donau 3430, Austria
| | - Julia Vierheilig
- Institute of Water Quality and Resource Management, Technische Universität Wien, Karlsplatz 13/226-1, Wien 1040, Austria
| | - Marwene Toumi
- Department of Microbiology, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C., H-1117, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Rózsa Farkas
- Department of Microbiology, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C., H-1117, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Erika Toth
- Department of Microbiology, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C., H-1117, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Clemens Kittinger
- Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University Graz, Neue Stiftingtalstraße 6, Graz 8010, Austria
| | - Gernot Zarfel
- Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University Graz, Neue Stiftingtalstraße 6, Graz 8010, Austria
| | - Andreas H Farnleitner
- Division Water Quality and Health, Department Pharmacology, Physiology and Microbiology, Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, Dr.-Karl-Dorrek-Straße 30, Krems an der Donau 3500, Austria; Institute of Chemical, Environmental and Bioscience Engineering, Research Group Microbiology and Molecular Diagnostics, Technische Universität Wien, Gumpendorfer Straße 1A/166, Vienna 1060, Austria.
| | - A K T Kirschner
- Institute of Hygiene and Applied Immunology - Water Microbiology, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Kinderspitalgasse 15, Vienna 1090, Austria; Division Water Quality and Health, Department Pharmacology, Physiology and Microbiology, Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, Dr.-Karl-Dorrek-Straße 30, Krems an der Donau 3500, Austria.
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Li M, Bian J, Wang Y, Cui X, Ding Y, Sun X, Wang F, Lou Y. Identifying interactions of linked irrigated lake-groundwater system by combining hydrodynamic and hydrochemical method. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:91956-91970. [PMID: 37480540 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-28884-0] [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: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
During the irrigation period, the interactions between the linked lake-groundwater systems are complicated and change. This is because natural and human activities are happening at the same time, which makes it harder to identify the interactions. This study uses data on water level, hydrochemistry, and hydrogen-oxygen stable isotopes to analyze the hydrodynamics, electrical conductivity (EC), isotopic characteristics, and spatial distribution of lake water and groundwater to reveal lake-groundwater interactions. The results indicate that the hydrochemical type of Chagan Lake and groundwater is dominated by the HCO3-Na type. The key hydrochemical indicator EC obtained by principal component analysis (PCA) can be used to reveal the lake-groundwater interaction, and the interaction should be identified by location according to the significant correlation between hierarchical clustering results and regional distribution. The lake body's geographic coefficient of variation for EC and δ18O is small, and irrigation return flow is one factor in the region's surface water's significant spatial variation for EC and δ18O. The three study methods indicate that the groundwater supplies the lake in the vicinity of the Huoling River-Hongzi Pool, while in other sections, the lake water leaks and replenishes the groundwater, exhibiting geographic inconsistency. The isotope method was employed as a support tool to determine that groundwater might recharge the lake at Xinmiao Pool. According to the calculations of the Mix SIAR model, the groundwater recharge contribution rate in the Xinmiao Pool section is approximately 51%, while in the remaining sections, the contribution rate of lake water to groundwater ranges from approximately 25% to 52%. Therefore, the identification of the interaction is crucial for the linked irrigated lake-groundwater system where water sources are scarce and threatened by agricultural pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- MuRong Li
- Key Laboratory of Groundwater Resources and Environment, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
- College of New Energy and Environment, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Water Resources and Environment, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Jianmin Bian
- Key Laboratory of Groundwater Resources and Environment, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
- College of New Energy and Environment, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Water Resources and Environment, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Yu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Groundwater Resources and Environment, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China.
- College of New Energy and Environment, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China.
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Water Resources and Environment, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China.
| | - Xinying Cui
- Songliao River Water Resources Commission of Ministry of Water Resources, Changchun, 130021, China
- Bureau of Hydrology, Songliao River Water Resources Commission of Ministry of Water Resources, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Yuanfang Ding
- Songliao River Water Resources Commission of Ministry of Water Resources, Changchun, 130021, China
- Bureau of Hydrology, Songliao River Water Resources Commission of Ministry of Water Resources, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Xiaoqing Sun
- Key Laboratory of Groundwater Resources and Environment, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
- College of New Energy and Environment, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Water Resources and Environment, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Fan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Groundwater Resources and Environment, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
- College of New Energy and Environment, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Water Resources and Environment, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Yuqi Lou
- Key Laboratory of Groundwater Resources and Environment, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
- College of New Energy and Environment, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Water Resources and Environment, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
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Handl S, Kutlucinar KG, Allabashi R, Troyer C, Mayr E, Langergraber G, Hann S, Perfler R. Importance of hydraulic travel time for the evaluation of organic compounds removal in bank filtration. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 317:137852. [PMID: 36669539 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.137852] [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: 10/04/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The growing global demand for drinking water is driving both the diversification of water supply sources and their sustainability. River bank filtration (RBF) is an excellent option since it strongly reduces the extent of treatment steps compared to direct usage of surface water. Organic micropollutants (e.g. pharmaceuticals) are widely recognized as a hazard in drinking water production from surface water. Due to their potentially high mobility, stability, bioaccumulation and persistency, these substances can pass through RBF-systems. Scientific studies on compound removal and attenuation efficiency of RBF rely on the knowledge of travel time to compare concentrations in the river to the ones in the bank filtrate since water quality in rivers can change rapidly. However, bank filtrate samples represent a mixture of water with different travel times as the flow paths vary. This has not yet been considered in studies of bank filtration removal efficiency for organic micro pollutants. Here we present a method that considers the residence-time distribution of the bank filtrate sample obtained by groundwater modelling to evaluate the removal efficiency of RBF for organic micropollutants. The method was tested in a comprehensive study with 50 samples taken over a one-year-period at a river bank filtration site in Vienna (Austria). Our findings revealed that better coverage of varying river water quality (higher sampling frequency during the period of infiltration) resulted not only in a higher number of compounds considered as removed but also significantly reduced the number of compounds considered to have formed during the RBF process. The application of the presented method indicated that RBF is very effective in removing organic micropollutants. Considering different travel times will provide better models and a better understanding of the potential of RBF for pollutant removal and thus supports its safe application as a solution to the growing demand for drinking water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Handl
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Department of Water, Atmosphere and Environment, Institute of Sanitary Engineering and Water Pollution Control, Muthgasse 18, 1190, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Kaan Georg Kutlucinar
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Department of Water, Atmosphere and Environment, Institute of Sanitary Engineering and Water Pollution Control, Muthgasse 18, 1190, Vienna, Austria; University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Department of Chemistry, Institute of Analytical Chemistry, Muthgasse 18, 1190, Vienna, Austria
| | - Roza Allabashi
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Department of Water, Atmosphere and Environment, Institute of Sanitary Engineering and Water Pollution Control, Muthgasse 18, 1190, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christina Troyer
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Department of Chemistry, Institute of Analytical Chemistry, Muthgasse 18, 1190, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ernest Mayr
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Department of Water, Atmosphere and Environment, Institute of Sanitary Engineering and Water Pollution Control, Muthgasse 18, 1190, Vienna, Austria
| | - Günter Langergraber
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Department of Water, Atmosphere and Environment, Institute of Sanitary Engineering and Water Pollution Control, Muthgasse 18, 1190, Vienna, Austria
| | - Stephan Hann
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Department of Chemistry, Institute of Analytical Chemistry, Muthgasse 18, 1190, Vienna, Austria
| | - Reinhard Perfler
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Department of Water, Atmosphere and Environment, Institute of Sanitary Engineering and Water Pollution Control, Muthgasse 18, 1190, Vienna, Austria
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Hose GC, Chariton A, Daam MA, Di Lorenzo T, Galassi DMP, Halse SA, Reboleira ASPS, Robertson AL, Schmidt SI, Korbel KL. Invertebrate traits, diversity and the vulnerability of groundwater ecosystems. Funct Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.14125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- G. C. Hose
- Department of Biological Sciences Macquarie University NSW 2109 Australia
| | - A. Chariton
- Department of Biological Sciences Macquarie University NSW 2109 Australia
| | - M. A. Daam
- CENSE ‐ Center for Environmental and Sustainability Research NOVA School of Science and Technology NOVA University Lisbon, 2829‐516 Caparica Portugal
| | - T. Di Lorenzo
- Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystems of the National Research Council Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino Firenze Italy
- Emil Racovita Institute of Speleology Romanian Academy, Clinicilor 5, Cluj Napoca 400006 Romania
| | - D. M. P. Galassi
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences University of L'Aquila Via Vetoio, Coppito, 67100 L'Aquila Italy
| | - S. A. Halse
- Bennelongia Environmental Consultants, Jolimont WA 6014 Australia
| | - A. S. P. S. Reboleira
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c), Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa Lisbon Portugal
- Natural History Museum of Life and Health Sciences Denmark and University of Copenhagen Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen Denmark
| | - A. L. Robertson
- School of Life and Health Sciences University of Roehampton, Holybourne Avenue, London SW15 4JD UK
| | - S. I. Schmidt
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences Institute of Hydrobiology Na Sádkách 7, 37005 České Budějovice Czech Republic
- Present address: Department of Lake Research, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research Magdeburg Germany
| | - K. L. Korbel
- Department of Biological Sciences Macquarie University NSW 2109 Australia
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Reclaimed Water Reuse for Groundwater Recharge: A Review of Hot Spots and Hot Moments in the Hyporheic Zone. WATER 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/w14121936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
As an alternative resource, reclaimed water is rich in the various nutrients and organic matter that may irreparably endanger groundwater quality through the recharging process. During groundwater recharge with reclaimed water, hot spots and hot moments (HSHMs) in the hyporheic zones, located at the groundwater–reclaimed water interface, play vital roles in cycling and processing energy, carbon, and nutrients, drawing increasing concern in the fields of biogeochemistry, environmental chemistry, and pollution treatment and prevention engineering. This paper aims to review these recent advances and the current state of knowledge of HSHMs in the hyporheic zone with regard to groundwater recharge using reclaimed water, including the generation mechanisms, temporal and spatial characteristics, influencing factors, and identification indicators and methods of HSHMs in the materials cycle. Finally, the development prospects of HSHMs are discussed. It is hoped that this review will lead to a clearer understanding of the processes controlling water flow and pollutant flux, and that further management and control of HSHMs can be achieved, resulting in the development of a more accurate and safer approach to groundwater recharge with reclaimed water.
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Xia X, Stewart DI, Cheng L, Liu Y, Wang Y, Ding A. Variation of bacterial community and alkane monooxygenase gene abundance in diesel n-alkane contaminated subsurface environment under seasonal water table fluctuation. JOURNAL OF CONTAMINANT HYDROLOGY 2022; 248:104017. [PMID: 35523047 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconhyd.2022.104017] [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: 01/17/2022] [Revised: 03/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
n-Alkanes, the main component of diesel fuel, are common light non-aqueous phase liquids (LNAPLs) that threaten ecological security. The subsurface from vadose zone, through fluctuating zone, to saturated zone, is a critical multi-interface earth layer which significantly affects the biodegradation processes of n-alkanes. A pilot-scale diesel contaminated aquifer column experiment has been undertaken to investigate the variations of bacterial community and alkane monooxygenase (alkB) gene abundance in these zones due to water-table fluctuations. The n-alkanes formed a layer immediately above the water table, and when this was raised, they were carried upwards through the fluctuating zone into the vadose zone. Water content and n-alkanes component C10-C12 are main factors influencing bacterial community variation in the vadose zone, while C10-C12 is a key driving factor shaping bacterial community in the fluctuating zone. The most abundant bacterial phyla at all three zones were Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Actinobacteria, but moisture-niche selection determined their relative abundance. The intermittent wetting cycle resulted in higher abundance of Proteobacteria, and lower abundance of Actinobacteria in the vadose and fluctuating zones in comparison to the control column with a static water-table. The abundances of the alkB gene variants were relatively uniform in different zones, probably because the bacterial populations harboring alkB gene are habituated to biogenic n-alkanes rather than responding to diesel fuel contamination. The variation in the bacterial populations with height due to moisture-niche selection had very little effect on the alkB gene abundance, possibly because numerous species in both phyla (Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria) carry an alkB gene variant. Nevertheless, the drop in the water table caused a short-term spike in alkB gene abundance in the saturated zone, which is most likely associated with transport of solutes or colloids from the fluctuating zone to bacteria species in the saturated zone, so a fluctuating water table could potentially increase n-alkane biodegradation function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuefeng Xia
- College of Water Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Engineering Research Center of Groundwater Pollution Control and Remediation, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100875, China
| | | | - Lirong Cheng
- College of Water Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Engineering Research Center of Groundwater Pollution Control and Remediation, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Yueqiao Liu
- College of Water Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Engineering Research Center of Groundwater Pollution Control and Remediation, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Yingying Wang
- College of Water Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Engineering Research Center of Groundwater Pollution Control and Remediation, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Aizhong Ding
- College of Water Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Engineering Research Center of Groundwater Pollution Control and Remediation, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100875, China.
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9
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Karwautz C, Zhou Y, Kerros ME, Weinbauer MG, Griebler C. Bottom-Up Control of the Groundwater Microbial Food-Web in an Alpine Aquifer. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.854228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Groundwater ecosystems are typically poor in organic carbon and productivity sustaining a low standing stock of microbial biomass. In consequence, microbial food webs in oligotrophic groundwater are hypothesized to be bottom-up controlled. To date, quantitative information on groundwater microbial communities, food web interactions, and carbon flow is relatively lacking in comparison to that of surface waters. Studying a shallow, porous alpine aquifer we collected data on the numbers of prokaryotes, virus-like particles and heterotrophic nanoflagellates (HNFs), the concentration of dissolved (DOC) and assimilable organic carbon (AOC), bacterial carbon production (BCP), and physical-chemical conditions for a 1 year hydrological cycle. The potential effects of protozoan grazing and viral lysis onto the prokaryotic biomass was tested. Flow of organic carbon through the microbial food web was estimated based on data from the literature. The abundance of prokaryotes in groundwater was low with 6.1 ± 6.9 × 104 cells mL–1, seasonally influenced by the hydrological dynamics, with higher densities coinciding with a lower groundwater table. Overall, the variability in cell numbers was moderate, and so it was for HNFs (179 ± 103 HNFs mL–1) and virus-like particles (9.6 ± 5.7 × 105 VLPs mL–1). The virus to prokaryotes and prokaryote to HNF ratios ranged between 2–230 and 33–2,084, respectively. We found no evidence for a viral control of prokaryotic biomass, and the biomass of HNFs being bottom-up controlled. First estimations point at carbon use efficiencies of 0.2–4.2% with prokaryotic production, and carbon consumed and recycled by HNFs and phages to be of minor importance. This first groundwater microbial food web analysis strongly hints at a bottom-up control on productivity and standing stock in oligotrophic groundwater ecosystems. However, direct measurement of protozoan grazing and phage mediated lysis rates of prokaryotic cells are urgently needed to deepen our mechanistic understanding. The effect of microbial diversity on the population dynamics still needs to be addressed.
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10
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Korbel KL, Rutlidge H, Hose GC, Eberhard SM, Andersen MS. Dynamics of microbiotic patterns reveal surface water groundwater interactions in intermittent and perennial streams. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 811:152380. [PMID: 34914978 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Revised: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Exchange between groundwater (GW), hyporheic zone waters (HZ) and surface waters (SW) is critical for water quality, quantity, and the ecological health and functioning of all three ecosystems. Hydrological exchange is particularly important in intermittent creeks, such as in the Murray Darling Basin, Australia, where stream reaches shift from losing to gaining depending on the volume of surface flows. In this study we used hydrochemistry to identify SW-GW exchange and combined this with eDNA data to analyse the response of eukaryote and prokaryote communities to differing flow conditions within intermittent and perennial stream reaches. Our study suggested that SW and GW microbial communities were only around 30% similar. Differences in microbiota between SW, HZ and GW habitats were driven by changes in relative abundances of surface water dominant organisms (such as those capable of photosynthesis) as well as anaerobic taxa typical of GW environments (e.g., methanogens), with GW and HZ microbial communities becoming increasingly different to those in SW as flow ceased in intermittent creeks. Fine-scale hydrologic changes were identified through microbial communities in the perennial Maules Creek, indicating the importance of GW-SW exchange to biotic communities. This study highlights the importance of flow in shaping microbial communities and biogeochemical cycling within intermittent creeks and their connected alluvial aquifers. Our results suggest that microbiota may prove a useful indicator of SW-GW exchange, and in some circumstances, may be more sensitive in demonstrating fine-scale changes in SW-GW interactions than water chemistry. This knowledge furthers our understanding of GW-SW exchange and its impacts on ecological health.
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Affiliation(s)
- K L Korbel
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, NSW 2109, Australia.
| | - H Rutlidge
- Water Research Laboratory, School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, UNSW, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - G C Hose
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - S M Eberhard
- Subterranean Ecology Pty Ltd, Coningham, TAS 7054, Australia; Adjunct Affiliate University of New South Wales, Australia; Honorary Associate Western Australian Museum, Australia
| | - M S Andersen
- Water Research Laboratory, School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, UNSW, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
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11
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Fillinger L, Hug K, Griebler C. Aquifer recharge viewed through the lens of microbial community ecology: Initial disturbance response, and impacts of species sorting versus mass effects on microbial community assembly in groundwater during riverbank filtration. WATER RESEARCH 2021; 189:116631. [PMID: 33217664 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.116631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Revised: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Riverbank filtration has gained increasing importance for balancing rising groundwater demands and securing drinking water supplies. While microbial communities are the pillar of vital ecosystem functions in groundwater, the impact of riverbank filtration on these communities has been understudied so far. Here, we followed changes in microbial community composition based on 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) in an initially pristine shallow porous aquifer in response to surface water intrusion during the early stages of induced riverbank filtration over a course of seven weeks. We further analyzed sediment cores for imprints of river-derived ASVs after seven weeks of riverbank filtration. The onset of the surface water intrusion caused loss of taxa and significant changes in community composition, revealing low disturbance resistance of the initial aquifer microbial communities. SourceTracker analysis revealed that proportions of river-derived ASVs in the groundwater were generally <25%, but locally could reach up to 62% during a period of intense precipitation. However, variation partitioning showed that the impact of dispersal of river-derived ASVs on changes in aquifer microbial community composition was overall outweighed by species sorting due to changes in environmental conditions caused by the infiltrating river water. Proportions of river-derived ASVs on aquifer sediments were <0.5%, showing that taxa transported from the river into the aquifer over the course of the study mainly resided as planktonic microorganisms in the groundwater. Our study demonstrates that groundwater microbial communities react sensitively to changes in environmental conditions caused by surface water intrusion, whereas mass effects resulting from the influx of river-derived taxa play a comparatively minor role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Fillinger
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, Institute of Groundwater Ecology, Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Katrin Hug
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, Institute of Groundwater Ecology, Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Christian Griebler
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, Institute of Groundwater Ecology, Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany.
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12
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Masse-Dufresne J, Baudron P, Barbecot F, Pasquier P, Barbeau B. Optimizing short time-step monitoring and management strategies using environmental tracers at flood-affected bank filtration sites. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 750:141429. [PMID: 32853932 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Revised: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Bank filtration is a popular pre-treatment method to produce drinking water as it benefits from the natural capacity of the sediments to attenuate contaminants. Under flood conditions, bank filtration systems are known to be vulnerable to contamination, partly because flow patterns may evolve at short timescales and result in a rapid evolution of the origin and travel times of surface water in the aquifer. However, high frequency monitoring for water quality is not common practice yet, and water quality management decisions for the operation of bank filtration systems are typically based on weekly to monthly assays. The aim of this study is to illustrate how monitoring strategies of environmental tracers at flood-affected sites can be optimized and to demonstrate how tracer-based evidence can help to define adequate pumping strategies. Data acquisition spanned two intense flood events at a two-lake bank filtration site. Based on bacteriological indicators, the bank filtration system was shown to be resilient to the yearly recurring flood events but more vulnerable to contamination during the intense flood events. The origin of the bank filtrate gradually evolved from a mixture between the two lakes towards a contribution of floodwater and one lake only. Automatized measurements of temperature and electrical conductivity at observation wells allowed to detect changes in the groundwater flow patterns at a daily timescale, while the regulatory monthly monitoring for indicator bacteria did not fully capture the potential short timescale variability of the water quality. The recovery to pre-flood conditions was shown to be accelerated for the wells operating at high rates (i.e., ≥1000 m3/day), partly because of floodwater storage in the vicinity of the less active wells. These results establish new perspectives to anticipate water quality changes through selected pumping schemes, which depend on and must be adapted to site-specific water quality issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janie Masse-Dufresne
- Polytechnique Montréal, Department of Civil, Geological and Mining Engineering, C.P. 6079, succ Centre-ville, Montreal, QC H3C 3A7, Canada.
| | - Paul Baudron
- Polytechnique Montréal, Department of Civil, Geological and Mining Engineering, C.P. 6079, succ Centre-ville, Montreal, QC H3C 3A7, Canada.
| | - Florent Barbecot
- Geotop-UQAM, Chair in Urban Hydrogeology, Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, C.P. 8888, succ. Centre-ville, Montreal, QC H3C 3P8, Canada.
| | - Philippe Pasquier
- Polytechnique Montréal, Department of Civil, Geological and Mining Engineering, C.P. 6079, succ Centre-ville, Montreal, QC H3C 3A7, Canada.
| | - Benoit Barbeau
- Polytechnique Montréal, Department of Civil, Geological and Mining Engineering, C.P. 6079, succ Centre-ville, Montreal, QC H3C 3A7, Canada.
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13
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Chik AHS, Emelko MB, Anderson WB, O'Sullivan KE, Savio D, Farnleitner AH, Blaschke AP, Schijven JF. Evaluation of groundwater bacterial community composition to inform waterborne pathogen vulnerability assessments. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 743:140472. [PMID: 32758810 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Revised: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Microbial water quality evaluations are essential for determining the vulnerability of subsurface drinking water sources to fecal pathogen intrusion. Rather than directly monitor waterborne pathogens using culture- or enumeration-based techniques, the potential of assessing bacterial community using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing to support these evaluations was investigated. A framework for analyzing 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing results featuring negative-binomial generalized linear models is demonstrated, and applied to bacterial taxa sequences in purge water samples collected from a shallow, highly aerobic, unconfined aquifer. Bacterial taxa relevant as indicators of fecal source and surface connectivity were examined using this approach. Observed sequences of Escherichia, a genus suggestive of fecal source, were consistently detected but not confirmed by culture-based methods. On the other hand, episodic appearance of anaerobic taxa sequences in this highly aerobic environment, namely Clostridia and Bacteroides, warrants further investigation as potential indicators of fecal contamination. Betaproteobacteria sequences varied significantly on a seasonal basis, and therefore may be linked to understanding surface-water groundwater interactions at this site. However, sequences that are often encountered in surface water bodies (Cyanobacteria and Flavobacteriia) were notably absent or present at very low levels, suggesting that microbial transport from surface-derived sources may be rather limited. This work demonstrates the utility of 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing for contextualizing and complementing conventional microbial techniques, allowing for hypotheses about source and transport processes to be tested and refined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex H S Chik
- Utrecht University, Domplein 29, 3512 JE Utrecht, Netherlands; TU Wien, Karlsplatz 13, 1040 Vienna, Austria; University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave. W., Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada.
| | - Monica B Emelko
- University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave. W., Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - William B Anderson
- University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave. W., Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Kaitlyn E O'Sullivan
- University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave. W., Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Domenico Savio
- Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, Dr.-Karl-Dorrek-Straße 30, 3500 Krems an der Donau, Austria; TU Wien, Gumpendorfer Straße 1a, 1060 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Andreas H Farnleitner
- Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, Dr.-Karl-Dorrek-Straße 30, 3500 Krems an der Donau, Austria; TU Wien, Gumpendorfer Straße 1a, 1060 Vienna, Austria.
| | | | - Jack F Schijven
- Utrecht University, Domplein 29, 3512 JE Utrecht, Netherlands
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14
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Sorensen JPR, Carr AF, Nayebare J, Diongue DML, Pouye A, Roffo R, Gwengweya G, Ward JST, Kanoti J, Okotto-Okotto J, van der Marel L, Ciric L, Faye SC, Gaye CB, Goodall T, Kulabako R, Lapworth DJ, MacDonald AM, Monjerezi M, Olago D, Owor M, Read DS, Taylor RG. Tryptophan-like and humic-like fluorophores are extracellular in groundwater: implications as real-time faecal indicators. Sci Rep 2020; 10:15379. [PMID: 32958794 PMCID: PMC7505957 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-72258-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Fluorescent natural organic matter at tryptophan-like (TLF) and humic-like fluorescence (HLF) peaks is associated with the presence and enumeration of faecal indicator bacteria in groundwater. We hypothesise, however, that it is predominantly extracellular material that fluoresces at these wavelengths, not bacterial cells. We quantified total (unfiltered) and extracellular (filtered at < 0.22 µm) TLF and HLF in 140 groundwater sources across a range of urban population densities in Kenya, Malawi, Senegal, and Uganda. Where changes in fluorescence occurred following filtration they were correlated with potential controlling variables. A significant reduction in TLF following filtration (ΔTLF) was observed across the entire dataset, although the majority of the signal remained and thus considered extracellular (median 96.9%). ΔTLF was only significant in more urbanised study areas where TLF was greatest. Beneath Dakar, Senegal, ΔTLF was significantly correlated to total bacterial cells (ρs 0.51). No significant change in HLF following filtration across all data indicates these fluorophores are extracellular. Our results suggest that TLF and HLF are more mobile than faecal indicator bacteria and larger pathogens in groundwater, as the predominantly extracellular fluorophores are less prone to straining. Consequently, TLF/HLF are more precautionary indicators of microbial risks than faecal indicator bacteria in groundwater-derived drinking water.
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Affiliation(s)
- James P R Sorensen
- British Geological Survey, Maclean Building, Wallingford, OX10 8BB, UK.
- Department of Geography, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
| | - Andrew F Carr
- Department of Geography, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Jacintha Nayebare
- Department of Geology and Petroleum Studies, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Djim M L Diongue
- Department of Geology, Universite Cheikh Anta Diop, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Abdoulaye Pouye
- Department of Geology, Universite Cheikh Anta Diop, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Raphaëlle Roffo
- Department of Geography, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Gloria Gwengweya
- Chancellor College, University of Malawi, P.O. Box 280, Zomba, Malawi
| | - Jade S T Ward
- British Geological Survey, Keyworth, NG12 5GG, UK
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7XH, UK
| | - Japhet Kanoti
- Department of Geology, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Joseph Okotto-Okotto
- Victoria Institute for Research on Environment and Development (VIRED) International, Rabuour Environment and Development Centre, Kisumu-Nairobi Road, P.O. Box, Kisumu, 6423-40103, Kenya
| | | | - Lena Ciric
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Seynabou C Faye
- Department of Geology, Universite Cheikh Anta Diop, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Cheikh B Gaye
- Department of Geology, Universite Cheikh Anta Diop, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Timothy Goodall
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Maclean Building, Wallingford, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Robinah Kulabako
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Daniel J Lapworth
- British Geological Survey, Maclean Building, Wallingford, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Alan M MacDonald
- British Geological Survey, Lyell Centre, Research Avenue South, Edinburgh, EH14 4AP, UK
| | - Maurice Monjerezi
- Chancellor College, University of Malawi, P.O. Box 280, Zomba, Malawi
| | - Daniel Olago
- Department of Geology, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Michael Owor
- Department of Geology and Petroleum Studies, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Daniel S Read
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Maclean Building, Wallingford, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Richard G Taylor
- Department of Geography, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
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15
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Fillinger L, Hug K, Trimbach AM, Wang H, Kellermann C, Meyer A, Bendinger B, Griebler C. The D-A-(C) index: A practical approach towards the microbiological-ecological monitoring of groundwater ecosystems. WATER RESEARCH 2019; 163:114902. [PMID: 31362215 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2019.114902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2019] [Revised: 07/17/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Groundwater is not only a vital resource, but also one of the largest terrestrial aquatic ecosystems on Earth. However, to date, ecological criteria are often not considered in routine groundwater monitoring, mainly because of the lack of suitable ecological assessment tools. Prokaryotic microorganisms are ubiquitous in groundwater ecosystems even under the harshest conditions, making them ideal bioindicators for ecological monitoring. We have developed a simple, inexpensive approach that enables ecological groundwater monitoring based on three microbiological parameters that can be easily integrated into existing routine monitoring practices: prokaryotic cell density (D) measured by flow cytometry; activity (A) measured as prokaryotic intracellular ATP concentrations using a simple cell-lysis-luminescence assay; and, as an optional parameter, the bioavailable carbon (C) measured as the concentration of assimilable organic carbon in a simple batch growth assay. We analyzed data for three case studies of different disturbances representing some of the main threats to groundwater ecosystems, i.e. organic contamination with hydrocarbons, surface water intrusion, and agricultural land use. For all three disturbances, disturbed samples could be reliably distinguished from undisturbed samples based on a single index value obtained from multivariate outlier analyses of the microbial variables. We could show that this multivariate approach allowed for a significantly more sensitive and reliable detection of disturbed samples compared to separate univariate outlier analyses of the measured variables. Furthermore, a comparison of non-contaminated aquifers from nine different regions across Germany revealed distinct multivariate signatures along the three microbial variables, which should be considered when applying our approach in practice. In essence, our approach offers a practical tool for the detection of disturbances of groundwater ecosystems based on microbial parameters which can be seamlessly extended in the future by additional parameters for higher sensitivity as well as flexibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Fillinger
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, Institute of Groundwater Ecology, Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Katrin Hug
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, Institute of Groundwater Ecology, Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Anne Madeleine Trimbach
- Hamburg University of Technology, DVGW Research Centre TUHH, Am Schwarzenberg-Campus 3, 21073, Hamburg, Germany
| | - He Wang
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, Institute of Groundwater Ecology, Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Claudia Kellermann
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, Institute of Groundwater Ecology, Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Astrid Meyer
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, Institute of Groundwater Ecology, Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Bernd Bendinger
- Hamburg University of Technology, DVGW Research Centre TUHH, Am Schwarzenberg-Campus 3, 21073, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christian Griebler
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, Institute of Groundwater Ecology, Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany.
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16
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van Driezum IH, Derx J, Oudega TJ, Zessner M, Naus FL, Saracevic E, Kirschner AKT, Sommer R, Farnleitner AH, Blaschke AP. Spatiotemporal resolved sampling for the interpretation of micropollutant removal during riverbank filtration. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 649:212-223. [PMID: 30173030 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.08.300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2018] [Revised: 08/21/2018] [Accepted: 08/22/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Riverbank filtration (RBF) systems along rivers are widely used as public water supplies. In these systems, many organic micropollutants (OMPs) are attenuated, but some compounds have shown to be rather persistent. Their fate and transport has been studied in RBF sites along lakes and small rivers, but not extensively along large and dynamic rivers. Therefore, the influence of flood events on OMP behavior in these large and dynamic RBF sites was investigated. Monthly samples were taken from surface- and groundwater up to a distance of 900 m from the riverbank of the Danube from March 2014 till May 2016. Two flood events were sampled more extensively nearby the river. Results showed that changes in flow conditions in the river not only caused changes in OMP concentrations, but also in their load. It was seen that the load of benzotriazole, carbamazepine and sulfamethoxazole in the river increased with increasing river discharges. After a relatively long, oxic groundwater passage, several OMPs were reduced. In contrast to previous work, we found that benzotriazole was almost fully removed under oxic conditions. When entering the aquifer, benzotriazole concentrations were significantly reduced and at a distance of 550 m from the river, >97% was degraded. Carbamazepine and sulfamethoxazole showed relatively persistent behavior in the aquifer. The concentrations measured during flood events were in the same range as seasonal sampling. Furthermore concentrations in the groundwater were higher during these events than in the Danube and can reach further into the aquifer. During flood events some highly degradable compounds (i.e. diclofenac) were found up to a distance of 24 m from the river. These results implied that drinking water utilities with RBF wells in oxic, alluvial aquifers located close to highly dynamic rivers need to consider a potential reduction in groundwater quality during and directly after flood events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inge H van Driezum
- Institute of Hydraulic Engineering and Water Resources Management, Technische Universität Wien, E222/2, Karlsplatz 13, 1040 Vienna, Austria; Centre for Water Resource Systems, Technische Universität Wien, Karlsplatz 13, 1040 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Julia Derx
- Institute of Hydraulic Engineering and Water Resources Management, Technische Universität Wien, E222/2, Karlsplatz 13, 1040 Vienna, Austria; Centre for Water Resource Systems, Technische Universität Wien, Karlsplatz 13, 1040 Vienna, Austria
| | - Thomas J Oudega
- Institute of Hydraulic Engineering and Water Resources Management, Technische Universität Wien, E222/2, Karlsplatz 13, 1040 Vienna, Austria; Centre for Water Resource Systems, Technische Universität Wien, Karlsplatz 13, 1040 Vienna, Austria
| | - Matthias Zessner
- Centre for Water Resource Systems, Technische Universität Wien, Karlsplatz 13, 1040 Vienna, Austria; Institute for Water Quality and Resource Management, Technische Universität Wien, E226/1, Karlsplatz 13, 1040 Vienna, Austria
| | - Floris L Naus
- Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Ernis Saracevic
- Institute for Water Quality and Resource Management, Technische Universität Wien, E226/1, Karlsplatz 13, 1040 Vienna, Austria
| | - Alexander K T Kirschner
- Institute for Hygiene and Applied Immunology, Water Hygiene, Medical University Vienna, Kinderspitalgasse 15, 1090 Vienna, Austria; Department for Water Quality and Health, Karl Landsteiner University for Health Sciences, Dr. Karl Dorrek Straße 30, 3500 Krems, Austria
| | - Regina Sommer
- Institute for Hygiene and Applied Immunology, Water Hygiene, Medical University Vienna, Kinderspitalgasse 15, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Andreas H Farnleitner
- Department for Water Quality and Health, Karl Landsteiner University for Health Sciences, Dr. Karl Dorrek Straße 30, 3500 Krems, Austria; Research Group Environmental Microbiology and Molecular Diagnostics, Institute for Chemical, Environmental and Biological Engineering 166/5/r3, Technische Universität Wien, Gumpendorferstrasse 1a, 1060 Vienna, Austria
| | - Alfred Paul Blaschke
- Institute of Hydraulic Engineering and Water Resources Management, Technische Universität Wien, E222/2, Karlsplatz 13, 1040 Vienna, Austria; Centre for Water Resource Systems, Technische Universität Wien, Karlsplatz 13, 1040 Vienna, Austria
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17
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Coupling Riverbank Filtration with Reverse Osmosis May Favor Short Distances between Wells and Riverbanks at RBF Sites on the River Danube in Hungary. WATER 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/w11010113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Bank filtration and other managed aquifer recharge techniques have extensive application in drinking water production throughout the world. Although the quality of surface water improves during these natural processes, residence time in the aquifer and length of the flow paths are critical factors. A wide range of data is available on the physical–chemical processes and hydraulic conditions, but there is limited knowledge about the top layer of the porous media. An investigation was conducted on the hydraulic behavior and on the change of microbiological indicator parameters in the filter cake. The purpose of the experiment was to: (1) investigate if the reverse osmosis is sustainable when fed with only slow filtered water, and (2) show that a short travel distance can provide extensive pathogen removal and beneficial conditions for the reverse osmosis. A slow sand filter was operated over a one-year long period while changes in head loss and microbiological parameters were being monitored. Head loss and membrane permeability were monitored between 3 November 2016 and 24 October 2018 and microbiological sampling was performed from 19 July 2017 to 6 November 2018. The filtered water was fed to a reverse osmosis (RO) filter as the water above the sand filter had been spiked with dissolved iron. Results show that even a thin biofilm cake of 1–3 mm thickness can result in a significant (10–100%) reduction in microbiological activity in the infiltrate, while favorable short retention times and oxic conditions are maintained. Avoiding anoxic conditions, subsequent iron and manganese dissolution and precipitation is beneficial for membrane processes. Building on these results, it can be stated that when reverse osmosis is directly fed with slow filtered or bank filtered water, (1) a short distance from the surface water body is required to avoid dissolved iron and manganese from entering the groundwater and (2) proper pathogen rejection can be achieved even over short distances.
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18
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Fiedler CJ, Schönher C, Proksch P, Kerschbaumer DJ, Mayr E, Zunabovic-Pichler M, Domig KJ, Perfler R. Assessment of Microbial Community Dynamics in River Bank Filtrate Using High-Throughput Sequencing and Flow Cytometry. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:2887. [PMID: 30555435 PMCID: PMC6281747 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.02887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2018] [Accepted: 11/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Surface-groundwater interactions play an important role in microbial community compositions of river bank filtrates. Surface water contaminations deriving from environmental influences are attenuated by biogeochemical processes in the hyporheic zone, which are essential for providing clean and high-quality drinking water in abstraction wells. Characterizing the flow regime of surface water into the groundwater body can provide substantial information on water quality, but complex hydraulic dynamics make predictions difficult. Thus, a bottom up approach using microbial community shifting patterns as an overall outcome of dynamic water characteristics could provide more detailed information on the influences that affect groundwater quality. The combination of high-throughput sequencing data together with flow cytometric measurements of total cell counts reveals absolute abundances among taxa, thus enhancing interpretation of bacterial dynamics. 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing of 55 samples among six wells in a well field in Austria that is influenced by river bank filtrate within a time period of 3 months has revealed both, clear differences as well as strong similarity in microbiome compositions between wells and dates. A significant community shift from April to May occurred in four of six wells, suggesting that surface water flow regimes do affect these wells stronger than others. Triplicate sampling and subsequent sequencing of wells at different dates proved the method to be reproducible. Flow cytometric measurements of total cells indicate microbial shifts due to increased cell counts and emphasize the rise of allochthonous microorganisms. Typical freshwater bacterial lineages (Verrucomicrobia, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, Cyanobacteria, Armatimonadetes) were identified as most increasing phyla during community shifts. The changes are most likely a result of increased water abstraction in the wells together with constant river water levels rather than rain events. The results provide important knowledge for future implementations of well utilization in dependency of the nearby Danube River water levels and can help drawing conclusions about the influence of surface water in the groundwater such that hygienically save and clean drinking water with a stable microbial community can be provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina J Fiedler
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Institute of Sanitary Engineering and Water Pollution Control (SIG), Department of Water, Atmosphere and Environment, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christoph Schönher
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Institute of Sanitary Engineering and Water Pollution Control (SIG), Department of Water, Atmosphere and Environment, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Philipp Proksch
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Institute of Sanitary Engineering and Water Pollution Control (SIG), Department of Water, Atmosphere and Environment, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - David Johannes Kerschbaumer
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Institute of Sanitary Engineering and Water Pollution Control (SIG), Department of Water, Atmosphere and Environment, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ernest Mayr
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Institute of Sanitary Engineering and Water Pollution Control (SIG), Department of Water, Atmosphere and Environment, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Marija Zunabovic-Pichler
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Institute of Sanitary Engineering and Water Pollution Control (SIG), Department of Water, Atmosphere and Environment, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Konrad J Domig
- Laboratory of Food Microbiology and Hygiene, Institute of Food Science, Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Reinhard Perfler
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Institute of Sanitary Engineering and Water Pollution Control (SIG), Department of Water, Atmosphere and Environment, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
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