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Singh S, Ahmed AI, Almansoori S, Alameri S, Adlan A, Odivilas G, Chattaway MA, Salem SB, Brudecki G, Elamin W. A narrative review of wastewater surveillance: pathogens of concern, applications, detection methods, and challenges. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1445961. [PMID: 39139672 PMCID: PMC11319304 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1445961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2024] [Accepted: 07/18/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction The emergence and resurgence of pathogens have led to significant global health challenges. Wastewater surveillance has historically been used to track water-borne or fecal-orally transmitted pathogens, providing a sensitive means of monitoring pathogens within a community. This technique offers a comprehensive, real-time, and cost-effective approach to disease surveillance, especially for diseases that are difficult to monitor through individual clinical screenings. Methods This narrative review examines the current state of knowledge on wastewater surveillance, emphasizing important findings and techniques used to detect potential pathogens from wastewater. It includes a review of literature on the detection methods, the pathogens of concern, and the challenges faced in the surveillance process. Results Wastewater surveillance has proven to be a powerful tool for early warning and timely intervention of infectious diseases. It can detect pathogens shed by asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic individuals, providing an accurate population-level view of disease transmission. The review highlights the applications of wastewater surveillance in tracking key pathogens of concern, such as gastrointestinal pathogens, respiratory pathogens, and viruses like SARS-CoV-2. Discussion The review discusses the benefits of wastewater surveillance in public health, particularly its role in enhancing existing systems for infectious disease surveillance. It also addresses the challenges faced, such as the need for improved detection methods and the management of antimicrobial resistance. The potential for wastewater surveillance to inform public health mitigation strategies and outbreak response protocols is emphasized. Conclusion Wastewater surveillance is a valuable tool in the fight against infectious diseases. It offers a unique perspective on the spread and evolution of pathogens, aiding in the prevention and control of disease epidemics. This review underscores the importance of continued research and development in this field to overcome current challenges and maximize the potential of wastewater surveillance in public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Surabhi Singh
- Microbiology Lab, Reference and Surveillance Intelligence Department, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Amina Ismail Ahmed
- Microbiology Lab, Reference and Surveillance Intelligence Department, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Sumayya Almansoori
- Microbiology Lab, Reference and Surveillance Intelligence Department, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Shaikha Alameri
- Microbiology Lab, Reference and Surveillance Intelligence Department, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Ashraf Adlan
- Microbiology Lab, Reference and Surveillance Intelligence Department, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Giovanni Odivilas
- Microbiology Lab, Reference and Surveillance Intelligence Department, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Marie Anne Chattaway
- United Kingdom Health Security Agency, Gastrointestinal Bacteria Reference Laboratory, London, United Kingdom
| | - Samara Bin Salem
- Central Testing Laboratory, Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Grzegorz Brudecki
- Microbiology Lab, Reference and Surveillance Intelligence Department, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Wael Elamin
- Microbiology Lab, Reference and Surveillance Intelligence Department, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
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2
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Malinowski N, Morgan MJ, Wylie J, Walsh T, Domingos S, Metcalfe S, Kaksonen AH, Barnhart EP, Mueller R, Peyton BM, Puzon GJ. Prokaryotic microbial ecology as an ecosurveillance tool for eukaryotic pathogen colonisation: Meiothermus and Naegleria fowleri. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 254:121426. [PMID: 38471203 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121426] [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: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Naegleria fowleri has been detected in drinking water distribution systems (DWDS) in Australia, Pakistan and the United States and is the causative agent of the highly fatal disease primary amoebic meningoencephalitis. Previous small scale field studies have shown that Meiothermus may be a potential biomarker for N. fowleri. However, correlations between predictive biomarkers in small sample sizes often breakdown when applied to larger more representative datasets. This study represents one of the largest and most rigorous temporal investigations of Naegleria fowleri colonisation in an operational DWDS in the world and measured the association of Meiothermus and N. fowleri over a significantly larger space and time in the DWDS. A total of 232 samples were collected from five sites over three-years (2016-2018), which contained 29 positive N. fowleri samples. Two specific operational taxonomic units assigned to M. chliarophilus and M. hypogaeus, were significantly associated with N. fowleri presence. Furthermore, inoculation experiments demonstrated that Meiothermus was required to support N. fowleri growth in field-collected biofilms. This validates Meiothermus as prospective biological tool to aid in the identification and surveillance of N. fowleri colonisable sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Malinowski
- CSIRO Environment, Floreat Park, WA, Australia; Water Corporation of Western Australia, Leederville, WA, Australia
| | | | - Jason Wylie
- CSIRO Environment, Floreat Park, WA, Australia
| | - Tom Walsh
- CSIRO Environment, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Sergio Domingos
- Water Corporation of Western Australia, Leederville, WA, Australia
| | | | | | - Elliott P Barnhart
- U.S. Geological Survey, Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center, Helena, Montana (MT), USA
| | - Rebecca Mueller
- Centre for Biofilm Engineering, and Thermal Biology Institute, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Brent M Peyton
- Centre for Biofilm Engineering, and Thermal Biology Institute, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
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Abkar L, Moghaddam HS, Fowler SJ. Microbial ecology of drinking water from source to tap. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 908:168077. [PMID: 37914126 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
As drinking water travels from its source, through various treatment processes, hundreds to thousands of kilometres of distribution network pipes, to the taps in private homes and public buildings, it is exposed to numerous environmental changes, as well as other microbes living in both water and on surfaces. This review aims to identify the key locations and factors that are associated with changes in the drinking water microbiome throughout conventional urban drinking water systems from the source to the tap water. Over the past 15 years, improvements in cultivation-independent methods have enabled studies that allow us to answer such questions. As a result, we are beginning to move towards predicting the impacts of disturbances and interventions resulting ultimately in management of drinking water systems and microbial communities rather than mere observation. Many challenges still exist to achieve effective management, particularly within the premise plumbing environment, which exhibits diverse and inconsistent conditions that may lead to alterations in the microbiota, potentially presenting public health risks. Finally, we recommend the establishment of global collaborative projects on the drinking water microbiome that will enhance our current knowledge and lead to tools for operators and researchers alike to improve global access to high-quality drinking water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leili Abkar
- Civil Engineering Department, University of British Columbia, Canada.
| | | | - S Jane Fowler
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Canada.
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Li R, Ren C, Wu L, Zhang X, Mao X, Fan Z, Cui W, Zhang W, Wei G, Shu D. Fertilizing-induced alterations of microbial functional profiles in soil nitrogen cycling closely associate with crop yield. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 231:116194. [PMID: 37217131 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Fertilization and rhizosphere selection are key regulators for soil nitrogen (N) cycling and microbiome. Thus, clarifying how the overall N cycling processes and soil microbiome respond to these factors is a prerequisite for understanding the consequences of high inputs of fertilizers, enhancing crop yields, and formulating reasonable nitrogen management strategies under agricultural intensification scenarios. To do this, we applied shotgun metagenomics sequencing to reconstruct N cycling pathways on the basis of abundance and distribution of related gene families, as well as explored the microbial diversity and interaction via high throughput sequencing based on a two-decade fertilization experiment in Loess Plateau of China semiarid area. We found that bacteria and fungi respond divergent to fertilization regimes and rhizosphere selection, in terms of community diversity, niche breadth, and microbial co-occurrence networks. Moreover, organic fertilization decreased the complexity of bacterial networks but increased the complexity and stability of fungal networks. Most importantly, rhizosphere selection exerted more strongly influences on the soil overall nitrogen cycling than the application of fertilizers, accompanied by the increase in the abundance of nifH, NIT-6, and narI genes and the decrease in the abundance of amoC, norC, and gdhA genes in the rhizosphere soil. Furthermore, keystone families screening from soil microbiome (e.g., Sphingomonadaceae, Sporichthyaceae, and Mortierellaceae), which were affected by the edaphic variables, contributed greatly to crop yield. Collectively, our findings emphasize the pivotal roles of rhizosphere selection interacting with fertilization regimes in sustaining soil nitrogen cycling processes in response to decades-long fertilization, as well as the potential importance of keystone taxa in maintaining crop yield. These findings significantly facilitate our understanding of nitrogen cycling in diverse agricultural soils and lay a foundation for manipulating specific microorganisms to regulate N cycling and promote agroecosystem sustainability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruochen Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Chengyao Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Likun Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Xinxin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Xinyi Mao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Zhen Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Weili Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Wu Zhang
- Heihe Branch, Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Heihe, Heilongjiang, 150086, China
| | - Gehong Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China.
| | - Duntao Shu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China.
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Foote A, Schutz K, Zhao Z, DiGianivittorio P, Korwin-Mihavics BR, LiPuma JJ, Wargo MJ. Characterizing Biofilm Interactions between Ralstonia insidiosa and Chryseobacterium gleum. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0410522. [PMID: 36744887 PMCID: PMC10100896 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.04105-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Ralstonia insidiosa and Chryseobacterium gleum are bacterial species commonly found in potable water systems, and these two species contribute to the robustness of biofilm formation in a model six-species community from the International Space Station (ISS) potable water system. Here, we set about characterizing the interaction between these two ISS-derived strains and examining the extent to which this interaction extends to other strains and species in these two genera. The enhanced biofilm formation between the ISS strains of R. insidiosa and C. gleum is robust to starting inoculum and temperature and occurs in some but not all tested growth media, and evidence does not support a soluble mediator or coaggregation mechanism. These findings shed light on the ISS R. insidiosa and C. gleum interaction, though such enhancement is not common between these species based on our examination of other R. insidiosa and C. gleum strains, as well as other species of Ralstonia and Chryseobacterium. Thus, while the findings presented here increase our understanding of the ISS potable water model system, not all our findings are broadly extrapolatable to strains found outside of the ISS. IMPORTANCE Biofilms present in drinking water systems and terminal fixtures are important for human health, pipe corrosion, and water taste. Here, we examine the enhanced biofilm of cocultures for two very common bacteria from potable water systems: Ralstonia insidiosa and Chryseobacterium gleum. While strains originally isolated on the International Space Station show enhanced dual-species biofilm formation, terrestrial strains do not show the same interaction properties. This study contributes to our understanding of these two species in both dual-culture and monoculture biofilm formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Foote
- Cellular, Molecular, and Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont, USA
| | - Kristin Schutz
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont, USA
| | - Zirui Zhao
- Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, USA
| | - Pauline DiGianivittorio
- Cellular, Molecular, and Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont, USA
| | - Bethany R. Korwin-Mihavics
- Cellular, Molecular, and Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont, USA
| | - John J. LiPuma
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Matthew J. Wargo
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont, USA
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6
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Sójka O, Keskin D, van der Mei HC, van Rijn P, Gagliano MC. Nanogel-based coating as an alternative strategy for biofilm control in drinking water distribution systems. BIOFOULING 2023; 39:121-134. [PMID: 36946276 DOI: 10.1080/08927014.2023.2190023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Biofilm formation and detachment in drinking water distribution systems (DWDS) can lead to several operational issues. Here, an alternative biofilm control strategy of limiting bacterial adhesion by application of a poly(N-isopropylmethacrylamide)-based nanogel coating on DWDS pipe walls was investigated. The nanogel coatings were successfully deposited on surfaces of four polymeric pipe materials commonly applied in DWDS construction. Nanogel-coated and non-coated pipe materials were characterized in terms of their surface hydrophilicity and roughness. Four DWDS relevant bacterial strains, representing Sphingomonas and Pseudomonas, were used to evaluate the anti-adhesive performance of the coating in 4 h adhesion and 24 h biofilm assays. The presence of the nanogel coating resulted in adhesion reduction up to 97%, and biofilm reduction up to 98%, compared to non-coated surfaces. These promising results motivate further investigation of nanogel coatings as a strategy for biofilm prevention in DWDS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Sójka
- Wetsus, European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology, Leeuwarden, the Netherlands
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Damla Keskin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Henny C van der Mei
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Patrick van Rijn
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Maria Cristina Gagliano
- Wetsus, European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology, Leeuwarden, the Netherlands
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7
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Lugli GA, Longhi G, Mancabelli L, Alessandri G, Tarracchini C, Fontana F, Turroni F, Milani C, van Sinderen D, Ventura M. Tap water as a natural vehicle for microorganisms shaping the human gut microbiome. Environ Microbiol 2022; 24:3912-3923. [PMID: 35355372 PMCID: PMC9790288 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Revised: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Fresh potable water is an indispensable drink which humans consume daily in substantial amounts. Nonetheless, very little is known about the composition of the microbial community inhabiting drinking water or its impact on our gut microbiota. In the current study, an exhaustive shotgun metagenomics analysis of the tap water microbiome highlighted the occurrence of a highly genetic biodiversity of the microbial communities residing in fresh water and the existence of a conserved core tap water microbiota largely represented by novel microbial species, representing microbial dark matter. Furthermore, genome reconstruction of this microbial dark matter from water samples unveiled homologous sequences present in the faecal microbiome of humans from various geographical locations. Accordingly, investigation of the faecal microbiota content of a subject that daily consumed tap water for 3 years provides proof for horizontal transmission and colonization of water bacteria in the human gut.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Andrea Lugli
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental SustainabilityUniversity of ParmaParmaItaly
| | - Giulia Longhi
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental SustainabilityUniversity of ParmaParmaItaly,GenProbio SrlParmaItaly
| | - Leonardo Mancabelli
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental SustainabilityUniversity of ParmaParmaItaly
| | - Giulia Alessandri
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental SustainabilityUniversity of ParmaParmaItaly
| | - Chiara Tarracchini
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental SustainabilityUniversity of ParmaParmaItaly
| | - Federico Fontana
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental SustainabilityUniversity of ParmaParmaItaly,GenProbio SrlParmaItaly
| | - Francesca Turroni
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental SustainabilityUniversity of ParmaParmaItaly,Microbiome Research HubUniversity of ParmaParmaItaly
| | - Christian Milani
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental SustainabilityUniversity of ParmaParmaItaly,Microbiome Research HubUniversity of ParmaParmaItaly
| | - Douwe van Sinderen
- APC Microbiome Institute and School of Microbiology, Bioscience Institute, National University of IrelandCorkIreland
| | - Marco Ventura
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental SustainabilityUniversity of ParmaParmaItaly,Microbiome Research HubUniversity of ParmaParmaItaly
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Atnafu B, Desta A, Assefa F. Microbial Community Structure and Diversity in Drinking Water Supply, Distribution Systems as well as Household Point of Use Sites in Addis Ababa City, Ethiopia. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2022; 84:73-89. [PMID: 34410455 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-021-01819-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Understanding ecology of microbiomes in drinking water distribution systems is the most important notion in delivering safe drinking water. Drinking water distribution systems harbor various microbiota despite efforts made in improving water infrastructures in the water industry, especially, in developing countries. Intermittent water supply, long time of water storage, low water pressure, and contaminated source water are among many of the factors responsible for poor drinking water quality affecting health of people. The aim of this study was to explore microbial diversity and structure in water samples collected from source water, treated water, reservoirs, and household points of use locations (taps). High-throughput Illumina sequencing technology was employed by targeting the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene and the V1-V3 region of the 18S rRNA gene to analyze the microbial community structure. Proteobacteria followed by Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria were the core dominating taxa. Gammaproteobacteria was also dominant among other proteobacterial classes across all sampling points. Opportunistic bacterial genera such as Pseudomonas, Legionella, Klebsiella, Escherichia, and Actinobacteria, as well as eukaryotic microbes like Cryptosporidium, Hartmannella, Acanthamoeba, Aspergillus, and Candida were also abundant taxa found along the distribution systems. The shift in microbial community structure from source to point of use locations was influenced by basic factors such as residual chlorine, intermittent water supply, and long-time storage at the household. The complex microbiota detected in different sampling sites in this study brings drinking water quality problem which further causes significant health problems to both human and animal health. Treatment ineffectiveness, disinfection inefficiency, poor maintenance actions, leakage of sewage, and other domestic wastes are few among many other factors responsible for degraded drinking water quality in this study putting health at high risk. Findings of this research provide important and baseline information to understand the microbial profiles of drinking water along source water and distribution systems. Moreover, knowing the microbial profile will help to design proper water quality assurance approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bayable Atnafu
- Institute of Biotechnology, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
| | - Adey Desta
- Department of Microbial, Cellular and Molecular Biology, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Fasil Assefa
- Department of Microbial, Cellular and Molecular Biology, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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Ma L, Jiang XT, Guan L, Li B, Zhang T. Nationwide biogeography and health implications of bacterial communities in household drinking water. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 215:118238. [PMID: 35278916 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Drinking water at the point of use harbors microorganisms that may pose potential risks to human health. However, the microbial diversity and health impacts of household drinking water are poorly understood, since culture-based methods only target on specific microorganisms and low biomass of drinking water hinders a high-throughput profiling. Here, we used an optimized workflow to efficiently collect microorganisms from low-biomass drinking water and performed deep sequencing of 16S rRNA genes to profile the bacterial diversity and biogeography of 110 household drinking water samples covering 38 cities of 29 provinces/regions in China, and further explored environmental drivers and potential health implications. Our analyses revealed a diverse drinking water community comprising a total of 22,771 operational taxonomic units (OTUs). The spatial turnover of drinking water communities is scale-dependent and appears to be driven largely by rainfall and water source river. The identified potential pathogenic species may have the possibility of causing health risks. Our novel insights enhance the current understanding of the diversity and biogeography of drinking water bacterial communities within a theoretical ecological framework and have further important implications for safe drinking water management and public health protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liping Ma
- School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China; Environmental Microbiome Engineering and Biotechnology Laboratory, Center for Environmental Engineering Research, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China; Technology Innovation Center for Land Spatial Eco-restoration in Metropolitan Area, Ministry of Natural Resources, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiao-Tao Jiang
- Environmental Microbiome Engineering and Biotechnology Laboratory, Center for Environmental Engineering Research, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Lei Guan
- School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bing Li
- Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Tong Zhang
- Environmental Microbiome Engineering and Biotechnology Laboratory, Center for Environmental Engineering Research, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
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10
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Variation in the Structure and Composition of Bacterial Communities within Drinking Water Fountains in Melbourne, Australia. WATER 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/w14060908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Modern drinking water distributions systems (DWDSs) have been designed to transport treated or untreated water safely to the consumer. DWDSs are complex environments where microorganisms are able to create their own niches within water, biofilm or sediment. This study was conducted on twelve drinking fountains (of three different types, namely types A, B and C) within the Melbourne (Australia) city area with the aim to (i) characterize the water quality and viable and total counts at each fountain, (ii) compare the differences in the structure and diversity of the bacterial community between bulk water and biofilm and (iii) determine differences between the bacterial communities based on fountain type. Samples of water and biofilm were assessed using both culture-dependent and culture-independent techniques. Heterotrophic plate counts of water samples ranged from 0.5 to 107.5 CFU mL−1, and as expected, total cell counts (cells mL−1) were, on average, 2.9 orders of magnitude higher. Based on the mean relative abundance of operational taxonomic units (OTUs), ANOSIM showed that the structure of the bacterial communities in drinking water and biofilm varied significantly (R = 0.58, p = 0.001). Additionally, ANOSIM showed that across fountain types (in water), the bacterial community was more diverse in fountain type C compared to type A (p < 0.001) and type B (p < 0.001). 16S rRNA next-generation sequencing revealed that the bacterial communities in both water and biofilm were dominated by only seven phyla, with Proteobacteria accounting for 71.3% of reads in water and 68.9% in biofilm. The next most abundant phylum was Actinobacteria (10.4% water; 11.7% biofilm). In water, the genus with the highest overall mean relative abundance was Sphingomonas (24.2%), while Methylobacterium had the highest mean relative abundance in biofilm samples (54.7%). At the level of genus and higher, significant differences in dominance were found across fountain types. In water, Solirubrobacterales (order) were present in type C fountains at a relative abundance of 17%, while the mean relative abundance of Sphingomonas sp. in type C fountains was less than half that in types A (25%) and B (43%). In biofilm, the relative abundance of Sphingomonas sp. was more than double in type A (10%) fountains compared to types B (4%) and C (5%), and Sandarakinorhabdus sp. were high in type A fountains (6%) and low in types B and C (1%). Overall this research showed that there were significant differences in the composition of bacterial communities in water and biofilm from the same site. Furthermore, significant variation exists between microbial communities present in the fountain types, which may be related to age. Long-established environments may lead to a greater chance of certain bacteria gaining abilities such as increased disinfection resistance. Variations between the structure of the bacterial community residing in water and biofilm and differences between fountain types show that it is essential to regularly test samples from individual locations to determine microbial quality.
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Voglauer EM, Zwirzitz B, Thalguter S, Selberherr E, Wagner M, Rychli K. Biofilms in Water Hoses of a Meat Processing Environment Harbor Complex Microbial Communities. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:832213. [PMID: 35237250 PMCID: PMC8882869 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.832213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Safe and hygienic water distribution is essential for maintaining product quality and safety. It is known that biofilms alter the appearance and microbial quality of water along the distribution chain. Yet, biofilms in water hoses throughout the food processing environment have not been investigated in detail. Here, microbial communities from water hoses and other environmental sites in contact with water, in addition to the source water itself, were studied in the meat processing environment. Biofilms were present in all water hoses as determined by the presence of bacterial DNA and biofilm matrix components (carbohydrates, extracellular DNA, and proteins). The microbial community of the biofilms was dominated by Proteobacteria, represented mainly by Comamonadaceae and Pseudoxanthomonas. Moreover, genera that are associated with an intracellular lifestyle (e.g., Neochlamydia and Legionella) were present. Overall, the microbial community of biofilms was less diverse than the water microbial community, while those from the different sample sites were distinct from each other. Indeed, only a few phyla were shared between the water hose biofilm and the source water or associated environmental samples. This study provides first insights towards understanding the microbiota of water hose biofilms in the food processing environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva M. Voglauer
- FFoQSI GmbH—Austrian Competence Centre for Feed and Food Quality, Safety and Innovation, Tulln, Austria
| | - Benjamin Zwirzitz
- FFoQSI GmbH—Austrian Competence Centre for Feed and Food Quality, Safety and Innovation, Tulln, Austria
| | - Sarah Thalguter
- FFoQSI GmbH—Austrian Competence Centre for Feed and Food Quality, Safety and Innovation, Tulln, Austria
| | - Evelyne Selberherr
- Unit of Food Microbiology, Institute for Food Safety, Food Technology and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Martin Wagner
- FFoQSI GmbH—Austrian Competence Centre for Feed and Food Quality, Safety and Innovation, Tulln, Austria
- Unit of Food Microbiology, Institute for Food Safety, Food Technology and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Kathrin Rychli
- Unit of Food Microbiology, Institute for Food Safety, Food Technology and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- *Correspondence: Kathrin Rychli,
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12
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Fan H, Wu S, Dong W, Li X, Dong Y, Wang S, Zhu YG, Zhuang X. Characterization of tetracycline-resistant microbiome in soil-plant systems by combination of H 218O-based DNA-Stable isotope probing and metagenomics. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2021; 420:126440. [PMID: 34280721 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.126440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
The emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance have been considered as a global health threat. However, effective methods to identify antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) in complex microbial community are lacking, and the potential transmission pathways of ARB and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the soil-plant system remain scarce. Here in this study, tetracycline was chosen as the target antibiotic due to its globally wide usage and clinical significance. DNA-based stable isotope probing with H218O was applied to identify the tetracycline-resistant bacteria from soil-plant systems. Eighteen-year organic fertilization significantly changed the composition of the tetracycline-resistant microbiome in the soil-wheat system and resulted in a higher relative abundance of ARGs in the wheat endophyte. Rhizosphere harboring the most diverse ARGs and mobile genetic elements was identified as a hot spot for horizontal gene transfer and an important bridge between bulk soil and wheat endophyte. Micrococcaceae and Sphingomonadaceae carrying ARGs associated with abundant mobile genetic elements, were identified as the core bacterial taxa in long-term manure-amended and untreated soil-wheat systems, respectively. This method contributes to a more precise track of ARB in the environment, and our work depicts the high potential of ARG transfer in the rhizosphere mediated by the core species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haonan Fan
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Biotechnology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Shanghua Wu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Biotechnology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Wenxu Dong
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Water Resources, Center for Agricultural Resources Research, Institute of Genetic and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050021, China
| | - Xianglong Li
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Biotechnology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yuzhu Dong
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Biotechnology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Shijie Wang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Biotechnology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yong-Guan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xuliang Zhuang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Biotechnology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
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13
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Zhou W, Li W, Chen J, Zhou Y, Wei Z, Gong L. Microbial diversity in full-scale water supply systems through sequencing technology: a review. RSC Adv 2021; 11:25484-25496. [PMID: 35478887 PMCID: PMC9037190 DOI: 10.1039/d1ra03680g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of microorganisms in full-scale water supply systems raises concerns about their pathogenicity and threats to public health. Clean tap water is essential for public health safety. The conditions of the water treatment process from the source water to tap water, including source water quality, water treatment processes, the drinking water distribution system (DWDS), and building water supply systems (BWSSs) in buildings, greatly influence the bacterial community in tap water. Given the importance of drinking water biosafety, the study of microbial diversity from source water to tap water is essential. With the development of molecular biology methods and bioinformatics in recent years, sequencing technology has been applied to study bacterial communities in full-scale water supply systems. In this paper, changes in the bacterial community and the influence of each treatment stage on microbial diversity in full-scale water supply systems are classified and analyzed. Microbial traceability analysis and control are discussed, and suggestions for future drinking water biosafety research and its prospects are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhou
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University Shanghai 200092 China .,State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Tongji University Shanghai 200092 China
| | - Weiying Li
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University Shanghai 200092 China .,State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Tongji University Shanghai 200092 China
| | - Jiping Chen
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University Shanghai 200092 China
| | - Yu Zhou
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University Shanghai 200092 China
| | - Zhongqing Wei
- Fuzhou Water Affairs Investment Development Co., Ltd. Fuzhou 350000 Fujian China
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14
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Kitajima M, Cruz MC, Williams RBH, Wuertz S, Whittle AJ. Microbial abundance and community composition in biofilms on in-pipe sensors in a drinking water distribution system. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 766:142314. [PMID: 33077212 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2020] [Revised: 09/06/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Collecting biofilm samples from drinking water distribution systems (DWDSs) is challenging due to limited access to the pipes during regular operations. We report here the analysis of microbial communities in biofilm and water samples collected from sensors installed in a DWDS where monochloramine is used as a residual disinfectant. A total of 52 biofilm samples and 14 bulk water samples were collected from 17 pipe sections representing different water ages. Prokaryotic genome copies (bacterial and archaeal 16S rRNA genes, Mycobacterium spp., ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), and cyanobacteria) were quantified with droplet digital PCR, which revealed the abundance of these genes in both biofilm and water samples. Prokaryotic 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis was carried out for a subset of the samples (12 samples from four sites). Mycobacterium and AOB species were dominant in the DWDS sections with low water age and sufficient residual monochloramine, whereas Nitrospira species (nitrite-oxidizing bacteria) dominated in the sections with higher water age and depleted monochloramine level, suggesting the occurrence of nitrification in the studied DWDS. The present study provides novel information on the abundance and identity of prokaryotes in biofilms and water in a full-scale operational DWDS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masaaki Kitajima
- Center for Environmental Sensing and Modeling, Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology, Singapore 138602, Singapore; Division of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-8628, Japan.
| | - Mercedes C Cruz
- Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637551, Singapore.
| | - Rohan B H Williams
- Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117456, Singapore
| | - Stefan Wuertz
- Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117456, Singapore; School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | - Andrew J Whittle
- Center for Environmental Sensing and Modeling, Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology, Singapore 138602, Singapore; Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, United States
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15
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Fonseca CR, Paterno GB, Guadagnin DL, Venticinque EM, Overbeck GE, Ganade G, Metzger JP, Kollmann J, Sauer J, Cardoso MZ, Lopes PF, Oliveira RS, Pillar VD, Weisser WW. Conservation biology: four decades of problem- and solution-based research. Perspect Ecol Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pecon.2021.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
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16
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A Hemdan B, Azab El-Liethy M, El-Taweel GE. The destruction of Escherichia coli adhered to pipe surfaces in a model drinking water distribution system via various antibiofilm agents. WATER ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH : A RESEARCH PUBLICATION OF THE WATER ENVIRONMENT FEDERATION 2020; 92:2155-2167. [PMID: 32621531 DOI: 10.1002/wer.1388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2020] [Revised: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
The aim of the study is to estimate the effectiveness of three antibiofilm agents against Escherichia coli biofilm that formed in six different types of pipelines. A laboratory-scale water system was built for this work to allow for the creation of biofilm in the pipelines studied. The level of the growth rate of E. coli biofilm cells was monitored over 90 days on those tested pipe materials. The results of bacterial cell densities displayed that the highest biofilm growth was observed in the biofilm formed on the iron (Fe) pipe. In contrast, the biofilm formation rate was significantly lower on copper (Cu) pipe compared to other materials. Three antibiofilm agents, including chlorine, silver ions (Ag+ ), and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), were employed to eradicate the biofilm cells. E. coli counts indicated that AgNPs are more efficient in destructing any formed biofilm cells on all tested materials. At the same time, the chlorine was only useful in the case of biofilm developed on plastic and Cu. However, the antibiofilm efficiency of Ag+ performs similarly to chlorine against E. coli biofilm cells. Ultimately, AgNPs are considred the most powerful antibiofilm agent among the other agents toward the biofilm cells in their maturation stage, which offers an encouraging way for the long-term functioning of water systems. PRACTITIONER POINTS: The growth rate of E. coli biofilm cells was investigated on different materials. The count of biofilm cells developed on iron pipes was higher than other materials. The E. coli biofilm on iron pipe could resist chlorine and AgNPs to a large extent. The developed biofilm on copper pipe was more sensitive to chlorine, Ag+ . and AgNPs. The biofilm cells could be easily eradicated from plastic-based materials with all tested disinfectants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bahaa A Hemdan
- Water Pollution Research Department, National Research Centre, Giza, Egypt
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Assam, India
| | | | - Gamila E El-Taweel
- Water Pollution Research Department, National Research Centre, Giza, Egypt
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17
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Huang C, Sun PP, Won J, Wang Y, Boppart SA, Nguyen TH. Effect of Nonphosphorus Corrosion Inhibitors on Biofilm Pore Structure and Mechanical Properties. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:14716-14724. [PMID: 33124800 PMCID: PMC7949192 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c04645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the effects of biofilm structural and mechanical properties, which can influence biofilm cohesiveness and detachment under physical stress, is critical for biofilm and biofilm-associated pathogen control. In this study, we used optical coherence tomography (OCT) and nanoindentation to determine the role of silicate and tin (two experimental nonphosphate corrosion inhibitors) on the porous structure and stiffness of three types of multispecies biofilms. These biofilms were grown from groundwater (a drinking water source), and this groundwater was amended with either tin or silicate corrosion inhibitor (0.5 mg/L as Sn and 20 mg/L as SiO2). Based on the elastic moduli of these biofilms, tin biofilms and groundwater biofilms were the stiffest, followed by silicate biofilms. The thickness normalized by the growth time for silicate biofilms was highest at 38 ± 7.1 μm/month, compared to 21 ± 3.2 and 11 ± 2.4 μm/month for tin biofilms and groundwater biofilms, respectively. The silicate biofilms had the greatest overall porosities and were thickest among the three biofilms. Based on the pore network modeling (PNM) of OCT images, larger pores and connections were found in the silicate biofilms compared to those in tin and groundwater biofilms. Our analysis showed that the thicker and more porous biofilms (silicate biofilms) were potentially less resistant to deformation than the thinner and denser biofilms (tin and groundwater biofilms).
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Affiliation(s)
- Conghui Huang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Peter P Sun
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Jungeun Won
- Departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Bioengineering, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Yin Wang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201, United States
| | - Stephen A Boppart
- Departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Bioengineering, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Carle Illinois College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Thanh H Nguyen
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Institute of Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Carle Illinois College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
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18
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Vavourakis CD, Heijnen L, Peters MCFM, Marang L, Ketelaars HAM, Hijnen WAM. Spatial and Temporal Dynamics in Attached and Suspended Bacterial Communities in Three Drinking Water Distribution Systems with Variable Biological Stability. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:14535-14546. [PMID: 33135888 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c04532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Microbial presence and regrowth in drinking water distribution systems (DWDSs) is routinely monitored to assess the biological stability of drinking water without a residual disinfectant, but the conventional microbiological culture methods currently used target only a very small fraction of the complete DWDS microbiome. Here, we sequenced 16S rRNA gene amplicons to elucidate the attached and suspended prokaryotic community dynamics within three nonchlorinated DWDSs with variable regrowth conditions distributing similarly treated surface water from the same source. One rural location, with less regrowth related issues, differed most strikingly from the other two urban locations by the exclusive presence of Pseudonocardia (Actinobacteria) in the biofilm and the absence of Limnobacter (Betaproteobacteriales) in the water and loose deposits during summer. There was a dominant seasonal effect on the drinking water microbiomes at all three locations. For one urban location, it was established that the most significant changes in the microbial community composition on a spatial scale occurred shortly after freshly treated water entered the DWDS. However, summerly regrowth of Limnobacter, one of the dominant genera in the distributed drinking water, already occurred in the clean water reservoir at the treatment plant before further distribution. The highlighted bacterial lineages within these highly diverse DWDS communities might be important new indicators for undesirable regrowth conditions affecting the final drinking water quality.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Leo Heijnen
- KWR Watercycle Research Institute, Groningenhaven 7, 3433PE Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
| | | | - Leonie Marang
- Evides Water Company, P.O. Box 4472, 3006 AL, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Henk A M Ketelaars
- Evides Water Company, P.O. Box 4472, 3006 AL, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Wim A M Hijnen
- Evides Water Company, P.O. Box 4472, 3006 AL, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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19
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Chen L, Zhang J, Dai H, Hu BX, Tong J, Gui D, Zhang X, Xia C. Comparison of the groundwater microbial community in a salt-freshwater mixing zone during the dry and wet seasons. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2020; 271:110969. [PMID: 32583802 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.110969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2020] [Revised: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
To gain a better understanding of the microbial community in salt-freshwater mixing zones, in this study, the influence of seasonal variation on the groundwater microbial community was evaluated by high throughput 16S rDNA gene sequencing. The results showed that notable changes in microbial community occurred in a salt-freshwater mixing zone and the groundwater samples in the dry season were more saline than those in the wet season. The increase in precipitation during the wet season relieved local seawater intrusion. Microbial diversity varied greatly with seasons, while no obvious change pattern was found. Proteobacteria was identified as the dominant phylum in all samples. The genus Hydrogenophaga dominated in the dry season, while the genus Acidovorax dominated in the wet season. Dissolved oxygen affected the diversity of the microbial communities during the dry and wet season, while groundwater level had a strong influence on the structure of microbial communities. Phylogenetic molecular network analysis of the microbial communities indicated that increased seawater intrusion led to a more compact microbial network and strengthening the groundwater microbial interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Chen
- School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), 100083, Beijing, China; Shenyang Geological Survey, China Geological Survey, 110034, Shenyang, China
| | - Jin Zhang
- Institute of Groundwater and Earth Science, Jinan University, 510632, Guangzhou, China; Green Development Institute of Zhaoqing, 526000, Zhaoqing, China; Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Joint Laboratory of Collaborative Innovation for Environmental Quality, 510632, Guangzhou, China
| | - Heng Dai
- Institute of Groundwater and Earth Science, Jinan University, 510632, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Bill X Hu
- School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), 100083, Beijing, China; Institute of Groundwater and Earth Science, Jinan University, 510632, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Juxiu Tong
- School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), 100083, Beijing, China
| | - Dongwei Gui
- Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystem, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China
| | - Xiaoying Zhang
- College of Construct Engineering, Jilin University, 130012, Changchun, China
| | - Chuanan Xia
- Institute of Groundwater and Earth Science, Jinan University, 510632, Guangzhou, China
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20
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Shen Z, Wang Y, Chen W, Xu H, Zhang L, Lin C, Lin T, Tao H, Mei C, Lu C. Investigation of nitrogen pollutants transformation and its pathways along the long-distance prechlorinated raw water distribution system. CHEMOSPHERE 2020; 255:126833. [PMID: 32387724 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.126833] [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: 02/15/2020] [Revised: 04/11/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the transformation pattern of nitrogen (N) pollutants and its pathways in the prechlorinated raw water distribution system (PRWDS) is vital for controlling the stablitiy and safety of raw water qulity. This study investigated the N transformation, N functional genes and their correlations to find the N transformation pathways along the PRWDS. Results suggested that simultaneous nitrification, anaerobic ammonium oxidation and denitrification (SNAD) contribute to the N transformationin the PRWDS. Along the pipeline, anammox 16S rRNA (9.18 × 107-8.41 × 108 copies/g), limited by prechlorination, was the most abundant N functional genes and anammox process was the main pathway of ammonia nitrogen (NH4+-N). The decreasing NH4+-N was connected with Planctomycetes, Nitrospira and abundance of nxrA attributing to the joint effort of anammox and declined nitrification. The concentration of nitrate (NO3--N) increasing at first and then decreasing, was correlated positively with Sphingomonas. because of the declined nitritication and increased denitrification. Besides, the NO3--N→NO2--N process was considered to be primary NO3--N transformation pathways. Increases in the concentration of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) and nitrite (NO2--N) observed in the PRWDS had positive correlation with relative abundance of Pseudomonas. We believe that prechlorination shaped the particular bacterialcharacteristics in biofilms and influenced the N transformation pathways indirectly, resulting in the varying N transformation rules in PRWDSs. Moreover, systematic and extended research is particularly vital for determining the effects of changes in source water quality and environmental conditions on bacterial community structure and N conversion along PRWDSs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Shen
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, No.1 Xikang Road, Nanjing, 210098, China; Wanjiang University of Technology, Maanshan, 243031, China.
| | - Yueting Wang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, No.1 Xikang Road, Nanjing, 210098, China.
| | - Wei Chen
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, No.1 Xikang Road, Nanjing, 210098, China.
| | - Hang Xu
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, No.1 Xikang Road, Nanjing, 210098, China.
| | - Lei Zhang
- College of Civil and Architechure Engineering, Chuzhou University, 1 West Huifeng Road, Chuzhou, 239000, China.
| | - Chenshuo Lin
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, No.1 Xikang Road, Nanjing, 210098, China.
| | - Tao Lin
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, No.1 Xikang Road, Nanjing, 210098, China.
| | - Hui Tao
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, No.1 Xikang Road, Nanjing, 210098, China.
| | - Caihua Mei
- College of Civil and Architechure Engineering, Chuzhou University, 1 West Huifeng Road, Chuzhou, 239000, China.
| | - Chunhui Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing, China.
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21
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Mitra M, Nguyen KMAK, Box TW, Gilpin JS, Hamby SR, Berry TL, Duckett EH. Isolation and characterization of a novel bacterial strain from a Tris-Acetate-Phosphate agar medium plate of the green micro-alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii that can utilize common environmental pollutants as a carbon source. F1000Res 2020; 9:656. [PMID: 32855811 PMCID: PMC7425125 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.24680.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background:Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, a green micro-alga can be grown at the lab heterotrophically or photo-heterotrophically in Tris-Phosphate-Acetate (TAP) medium which contains acetate as the sole carbon source. When grown in TAP medium,
Chlamydomonas can utilize the exogenous acetate in the medium for gluconeogenesis using the glyoxylate cycle, which is also present in many bacteria and higher plants. A novel bacterial strain, LMJ, was isolated from a contaminated TAP medium plate of
Chlamydomonas. We present our work on the isolation and physiological and biochemical characterizations of LMJ. Methods: Several microbiological tests were conducted to characterize LMJ, including its sensitivity to four antibiotics. We amplified and sequenced partially the 16S rRNA gene of LMJ. We tested if LMJ can utilize cyclic alkanes, aromatic hydrocarbons, poly-hydroxyalkanoates, and fresh and combusted car motor oil as the sole carbon source on Tris-Phosphate (TP) agar medium plates for growth. Results: LMJ is a gram-negative rod, oxidase-positive, mesophilic, non-enteric, pigmented, salt-sensitive bacterium. LMJ can ferment glucose, is starch hydrolysis-negative, and is very sensitive to penicillin and chloramphenicol. Preliminary spectrophotometric analyses indicate LMJ produces pyomelanin. NCBI-BLAST analyses of the partial 16S rRNA gene sequence of LMJ showed that it matched to that of an uncultured bacterium clone LIB091_C05_1243. The nearest genus relative of LMJ is an
Acidovorax sp. strain. LMJ was able to use alkane hydrocarbons, fresh and combusted car motor oil, poly-hydroxybutyrate, phenanthrene, naphthalene, benzoic acid and phenyl acetate as the sole carbon source for growth on TP-agar medium plates. Conclusions: LMJ has 99.14% sequence identity with the
Acidovorax sp. strain A16OP12 whose genome has not been sequenced yet. LMJ’s ability to use chemicals that are common environmental pollutants makes it a promising candidate for further investigation for its use in bioremediation and, provides us with an incentive to sequence its genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mautusi Mitra
- Department of Biology, University of West Georgia, Carrollton, Georgia, 30118, USA
| | - Kevin Manoap-Anh-Khoa Nguyen
- Department of Biology, University of West Georgia, Carrollton, Georgia, 30118, USA.,Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kennesaw State University, Marietta, Georgia, 30060, USA
| | - Taylor Wayland Box
- Department of Biology, University of West Georgia, Carrollton, Georgia, 30118, USA
| | - Jesse Scott Gilpin
- Department of Biology, University of West Georgia, Carrollton, Georgia, 30118, USA
| | - Seth Ryan Hamby
- Department of Biology, University of West Georgia, Carrollton, Georgia, 30118, USA
| | - Taylor Lynne Berry
- Carrollton High School, Carrollton, Georgia, 30117, USA.,Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Georgia, Dahlonega, Georgia, 30597, USA
| | - Erin Harper Duckett
- Department of Biology, University of West Georgia, Carrollton, Georgia, 30118, USA
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22
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Maguvu TE, Bezuidenhout CC, Kritzinger R, Tsholo K, Plaatjie M, Molale-Tom LG, Mienie CM, Coertze RD. Combining physicochemical properties and microbiome data to evaluate the water quality of South African drinking water production plants. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0237335. [PMID: 32790793 PMCID: PMC7425920 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0237335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic activities in catchments used for drinking water production largely contaminates source waters, and this may impact the quality of the final drinking water product. These contaminants may also affect taxonomic and functional profiles of the bacterial communities in the drinking water. Here, we report an integrated insight into the microbiome and water quality of four water treatment plants (NWC, NWE, WCA and NWG) that supply portable water to communities in South Africa. A new scoring system based on combined significant changes of physicochemical parameters and microbial abundance from raw to treated water was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment plants at water purification. Physicochemical parameters which include total soluble solids, turbidity, pH, nitrites and phosphorus among others, were measured in source, treated, and distributed water. There were general statistically significant (P ≤ 0.05) differences between raw and treated water, demonstrating the effectiveness of the purification process. Illumina sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene was used for taxonomic profiling of the microbial communities and this data was used to infer functional attributes of the communities. Structure and composition of the bacterial communities differed significantly (P < 0.05) among the treatment plants, only NWE and NWG showed no significant differences (P > 0.05), this correlated with the predicted functional profile of the microbial communities obtained from Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Observed States (PICRUSt), as well as the likely pollutants of source water. Bacteroidetes, Chlorobi and Fibrobacteres significantly differed (P < 0.05) between raw and distributed water. PICRUSt inferred a number of pathways involved in the degradation of xenobiotics such as Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, atrazine and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. More worryingly, was the presence of pathways involved in beta-lactam resistance, potential pathogenic Escherichia coli infection, Vibrio cholerae infection, and Shigellosis. Also present in drinking and treated water were OTUs associated with a number of opportunistic pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tawanda E. Maguvu
- Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management - Microbiology, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
- * E-mail:
| | - Cornelius C. Bezuidenhout
- Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management - Microbiology, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
| | - Rinaldo Kritzinger
- Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management - Microbiology, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
| | - Karabo Tsholo
- Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management - Microbiology, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
| | - Moitshepi Plaatjie
- Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management - Microbiology, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
| | - Lesego G. Molale-Tom
- Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management - Microbiology, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
| | - Charlotte M. Mienie
- Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management - Microbiology, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
| | - Roelof D. Coertze
- Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management - Microbiology, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
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23
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Zhao L, Liu YW, Li N, Fan XY, Li X. Response of bacterial regrowth, abundant and rare bacteria and potential pathogens to secondary chlorination in secondary water supply system. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 719:137499. [PMID: 32120107 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Revised: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 02/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated the effects of secondary chlorination on bacterial regrowth, microbial communities (abundant and rare taxa) and bacterial functions of pipe wall biofilm and bulk water in simulated secondary water supply system (SWSS). Continuous secondary chlorination was more effective than short-term secondary chlorination to control the bacterial regrowth in both biofilm and water samples. Bacterial diversity slightly reduced after continuous secondary chlorination, and 19.27% of the total operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were shared by biofilm and water samples, with Bacillus as the dominant genus. Abundant and rare taxa exhibited different community structures. Proteobacteria and candidate division WPS-1 predominated in abundant and rare phyla were sensitive to chlorine, while Firmicutes, Acidobacteria and Bacteroidetes, exhibited relative strong chlorine resistance. The abundant genera in control sample (e.g., Bosea, Sphingobium and Gemmata) exhibited poor tolerance to chlorine, while Bacillus in biofilm and Defluviimonas in water were the main chlorine-resistant genera. Moreover, the composition of rare genera in each sample was obviously different. Furthermore, a total of 18 potential pathogens were detected with Pseudomonas as the dominant genus, most of which were significantly reduced after disinfection. There were mainly positive interactions among potential pathogenic bacteria, with Enterococcus, Legionella and Vibrio as the hub genera as revealed by network analysis. Similar bacterial functions in both biofilm and water were observed with metabolism as the predominant bacterial function, while, human disease function only accounted for 1.07% of bacterial functions. These results highlighted the importance of continuous secondary chlorination for controlling biosafety of SWSS and identified the dissimilar responses of abundant and rare bacteria to the disinfection, as well as the co-occurrence patterns among potential pathogens, improving our understanding of bacterial communities in SWSS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Zhao
- China Architecture Design and Research Group, Beijing 100044, PR China
| | - Yong-Wang Liu
- China Architecture Design and Research Group, Beijing 100044, PR China; College of Architecture and Civil engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, PR China.
| | - Na Li
- College of Architecture and Civil engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, PR China
| | - Xiao-Yan Fan
- College of Architecture and Civil engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, PR China
| | - Xing Li
- College of Architecture and Civil engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, PR China
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24
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Liu G, Zhang Y, Liu X, Hammes F, Liu WT, Medema G, Wessels P, van der Meer W. 360-Degree Distribution of Biofilm Quantity and Community in an Operational Unchlorinated Drinking Water Distribution Pipe. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:5619-5628. [PMID: 32259432 PMCID: PMC7203839 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b06603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
In the present study, triplicate rings of 360° pipe surfaces of an operational drinking water distribution pipe were swabbed. Each ring was equally divided into 16 parts for swabbing. The collected swabs were grouped into 3 sections and compared with the biofilm samples sampled by sonication of specimens from the same pipe. The results showed that the biofilm is unevenly distributed over the 16 parts and the 3 sections of the pipe surface. Both the active biomass and the number of observed OTUs increased as the measurements proceeded from the top to the bottom of the pipe. The bacterial community was dominated in all sections by Proteobacteria. At the genus level, Nitrospira spp., Terrimonas spp., and Hyphomicrobium spp. were dominant in all sections. Gaiella spp. and Vicinamibacter spp. dominated in S-I, Blastopirellula spp. and Pirellula spp. dominated in S-II, while Holophaga spp. and Phaeodactylibacter spp. dominated in S-III. When swabbing and pipe specimen sonication were compared, the results showed that the sampling strategy significantly influences the obtained biofilm bacterial community. A consistent multisectional swabbing strategy is proposed for future biofilm sampling; it involves collecting swabs from all sections and comparing the swabs from the same position/section across locations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Liu
- Key
Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Centre
for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese
Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, P. R. China
- Oasen
Drinkwater, P.O. Box
122, 2801SB, Gouda, The Netherlands
- Sanitary
Engineering, Department of Water Management, Faculty of Civil Engineering
and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology, P.O. Box 5048, 2600GA Delft, The Netherlands
- Phone: 0086 17600879707; e-mail: ,
| | - Ya Zhang
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, 205 North Mathews Avenue, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Xinlei Liu
- Catalysis
Engineering, Chemical Engineering Department, Delft University of Technology, van der Maasweg 9, 2629 HZ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Frederik Hammes
- Eawag,
Swiss
Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Wen-Tso Liu
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, 205 North Mathews Avenue, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Gertjan Medema
- Sanitary
Engineering, Department of Water Management, Faculty of Civil Engineering
and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology, P.O. Box 5048, 2600GA Delft, The Netherlands
- KWR
Watercycle Research Institute, P.O. Box 1072, 3430 BB Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
| | - Peter Wessels
- Oasen
Drinkwater, P.O. Box
122, 2801SB, Gouda, The Netherlands
| | - Walter van der Meer
- Oasen
Drinkwater, P.O. Box
122, 2801SB, Gouda, The Netherlands
- Science
and Technology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500AE Enschede, The Netherlands
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25
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De Sotto R, Tang R, Bae S. Biofilms in premise plumbing systems as a double-edged sword: microbial community composition and functional profiling of biofilms in a tropical region. JOURNAL OF WATER AND HEALTH 2020; 18:172-185. [PMID: 32300090 DOI: 10.2166/wh.2020.182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
To understand distributions of opportunistic premise plumbing pathogens (OPPPs) and microbial community structures governed by sample location, pipe materials, water temperature, age of property and type of house, 29 biofilm samples obtained from faucets, pipes, and shower heads in different households in Singapore were examined using next-generation sequencing technology. Predictive functional profiling of the biofilm communities was also performed to understand the potential of uncultivated microorganisms in premise plumbing systems and their involvement in various metabolic pathways. Microbial community analysis showed Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Acidobacteria, Nitrospira, and Actinobacteria to be the most abundant phyla across the samples which was found to be significantly different when grouped by age of the properties, location, and the type of house. Meanwhile, opportunistic premise plumbing pathogens such as Mycobacterium, Citrobacter, Pseudomonas, Stenotrophomonas, and Methylobacterium were observed from the samples at 0.5% of the total reads. Functional prediction using 16S gene markers revealed the involvement of the biofilm communities in different metabolic pathways like nitrogen metabolism, biodegradation of xenobiotics, and bacterial secretion implying diverse functionalities that are yet to be studied in this environment. This study serves as a preliminary survey on the microbial communities harboring premise plumbing systems in a tropical region like Singapore.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan De Sotto
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore, 5A Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117411, Singapore E-mail:
| | - Rena Tang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore, 5A Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117411, Singapore E-mail:
| | - Sungwoo Bae
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore, 5A Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117411, Singapore E-mail:
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26
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Chen L, Ling F, Bakker G, Liu WT, Medema G, van der Meer W, Liu G. Assessing the transition effects in a drinking water distribution system caused by changing supply water quality: an indirect approach by characterizing suspended solids. WATER RESEARCH 2020; 168:115159. [PMID: 31614234 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2019.115159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Revised: 10/03/2019] [Accepted: 10/04/2019] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Worldwide, it is common that the drinking water distribution systems (DWDSs) may be subjected to changes of supply water quality due to the needs of upgrading the treatment processes or switching the source water. However, the potential impacts of quality changed supply water on the stabilized ecological niches within DWDSs and the associated water quality deterioration risks were poorly documented. In the present study, such transition effects caused by changing the supply water quality that resulted from destabilization of biofilm and loose deposits in DWDS were investigated by analyzing the physiochemical and microbiological characteristics of suspended particles before (T0), during (T3-weeks) and after upgrading the treatments (T6-months) in an unchlorinated DWDS in the Netherlands. Our results demonstrated that after 6 months' time the upgraded treatments significantly improved the water quality. Remarkably, water quality deterioration was observed at the initial stage when the quality-improved treated water distributed into the network at T3-weeks, observed as a spike of total suspended solids (TSS, 50-260%), active biomass (ATP, 95-230%) and inorganic elements (e.g. Mn, 130-250%). Furthermore, pyrosequencing results revealed sharp differences in microbial community composition and structure for the bacteria associated with suspended particles between T0 and T3-weeks, which re-stabilized after 6 months at T6-months. The successful capture of transition effects was especially confirmed by the domination of Nitrospira spp. and Polaromonas spp. in the distribution system at T3-weeks, which were detected at rather low relative abundance at treatment plant. Though the transitional effects were captured, this study shows that the introduction of softening and additional filtration did not have an effect on the water quality for the consumer which improved considerably after 6-months' period. The methodology of monitoring suspended particles with MuPFiSs and additional analysis is capable of detecting transitional effects by monitoring the dynamics of suspended particles and its physiochemical and microbiological composition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lihua Chen
- Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, PR China; Sanitary Engineering, Department of Water Management, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology, P.O. Box 5048, 2600, GA, Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Fangqiong Ling
- Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, 63130, USA
| | - Geo Bakker
- Vitens N.V., P.O. Box 1205, 8001, BE, Zwolle, the Netherlands
| | - Wen-Tso Liu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 205 N. Mathews Ave., Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Gertjan Medema
- Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, PR China; KWR Watercycle Research Institute, P.O. Box 1072, 3430, BB, Nieuwegein, the Netherlands
| | - Walter van der Meer
- Oasen Water Company, PO BOX 122, 2800, AC, Gouda, the Netherlands; Science and Technology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500, AE, Enschede, the Netherlands
| | - Gang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, PR China; Sanitary Engineering, Department of Water Management, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology, P.O. Box 5048, 2600, GA, Delft, the Netherlands.
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27
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Abada E, Al-Fifi Z, Al-Rajab AJ, Mahdhi M, Sharma M. Molecular identification of biological contaminants in different drinking water resources of the Jazan region, Saudi Arabia. JOURNAL OF WATER AND HEALTH 2019; 17:622-632. [PMID: 31313999 DOI: 10.2166/wh.2019.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Drinking water quality plays a remarkable role in human infections and diseases. This study used polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques to detect bacterial pathogens. In addition, a physicochemical analysis was performed on drinking water samples from several sources. A total of 123 drinking water samples were collected from different areas in the Jazan region in Saudi Arabia: ground water (40 samples), bottled water (15 samples), tap water (52 samples), and water purification shops (16 samples). To isolate the bacterial pathogens, the water samples were spread on Nutrient and MacConkey agar media, and the grown pathogens were then identified by the 16S ribosomal RNA technique. In 87 (70.7%) of the 123 drinking water samples, there was no pathogen growth on the two-culture medium. However, 36 (29.3%) of the samples were found to be contaminated with bacteria. The physicochemical analysis indicated that the water samples were within the Saudi drinking water standards. The bacteria were resistant to Cefotaxime, Cefotaxime/Clavulanic acid, Erythromycin, Penicillin G, Rifampin and Sulfamethoxazole-Trimethoprim, respectively. The findings suggest that in Jazan, bottled water is a safer source of potable water than tap water. The contamination in the water may be occurring at the reservoirs rather than the water sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emad Abada
- Biology Department, Faculty of Science, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia E-mail: ; Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Zarraq Al-Fifi
- Biology Department, Faculty of Science, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia E-mail:
| | - Abdul Jabbar Al-Rajab
- Centre for Environmental Research and Studies, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia; Etcetera Publications, Chesterville, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mosbah Mahdhi
- Centre for Environmental Research and Studies, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mukul Sharma
- Centre for Environmental Research and Studies, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia
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28
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Tsao HF, Scheikl U, Herbold C, Indra A, Walochnik J, Horn M. The cooling tower water microbiota: Seasonal dynamics and co-occurrence of bacterial and protist phylotypes. WATER RESEARCH 2019; 159:464-479. [PMID: 31128471 PMCID: PMC6554697 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2019.04.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2018] [Revised: 04/04/2019] [Accepted: 04/13/2019] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Cooling towers for heating, ventilation and air conditioning are ubiquitous in the built environment. Often located on rooftops, their semi-open water basins provide a suitable environment for microbial growth. They are recognized as a potential source of bacterial pathogens and have been associated with disease outbreaks such as Legionnaires' disease. While measures to minimize public health risks are in place, the general microbial and protist community structure and dynamics in these systems remain largely elusive. In this study, we analysed the microbiome of the bulk water from the basins of three cooling towers by 16S and 18S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing over the course of one year. Bacterial diversity in all three towers was broadly comparable to other freshwater systems, yet less diverse than natural environments; the most abundant taxa are also frequently found in freshwater or drinking water. While each cooling tower had a pronounced site-specific microbial community, taxa shared among all locations mainly included groups generally associated with biofilm formation. We also detected several groups related to known opportunistic pathogens, such as Legionella, Mycobacterium, and Pseudomonas species, albeit at generally low abundance. Although cooling towers represent a rather stable environment, microbial community composition was highly dynamic and subject to seasonal change. Protists are important members of the cooling tower water microbiome and known reservoirs for bacterial pathogens. Co-occurrence analysis of bacteria and protist taxa successfully captured known interactions between amoeba-associated bacteria and their hosts, and predicted a large number of additional relationships involving ciliates and other protists. Together, this study provides an unbiased and comprehensive overview of microbial diversity of cooling tower water basins, establishing a framework for investigating and assessing public health risks associated with these man-made freshwater environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han-Fei Tsao
- Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ute Scheikl
- Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Craig Herbold
- Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Alexander Indra
- Department of Mycobacteriology and Clinical Molecular Biology, AGES, Vienna, Austria
| | - Julia Walochnik
- Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Matthias Horn
- Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
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29
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Zhu J, Liu R, Cao N, Yu J, Liu X, Yu Z. Mycobacterial metabolic characteristics in a water meter biofilm revealed by metagenomics and metatranscriptomics. WATER RESEARCH 2019; 153:315-323. [PMID: 30739073 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2019.01.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2018] [Revised: 12/27/2018] [Accepted: 01/28/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Mycobacteria represent one of the most persistent bacterial populations in drinking water distribution system (DWDS) biofilm communities; however, mycobacterial in situ metabolic profiles are largely unknown. In this study, the metabolic characteristics of mycobacteria in a household water meter biofilm were unveiled using a coupled metagenomic/metatranscriptomic approach. The water meter biofilm appeared to express nitrogenase genes (nifDKH) and a full complement of genes coding for several carbon-fixation pathways, especially the Calvin cycle, suggesting the CO2 sequestration and dinitrogen fixation potential of the biofilm. These findings indicate that it may be difficult to prevent the formation of DWDS biofilms simply by controlling the availability of organic carbon or nitrogen. The composite genome of mycobacteria (CG-M) was reconstructed based on the obtained omics data. CG-M shared similar genome phylogeny and virulence-factor profiles with Mycobacterium avium complex, suggesting that population CG-M might represent a member of mycobacteria with pathogenicity. According to the gene expression patterns, population CG-M showed the metabolic potential to assimilate CO2 via the Calvin cycle and/or anaplerotic reactions, and even to grow autotrophically with CO as the sole carbon and energy source. This suggests that organic carbon may not be a limiting factor for mycobacterial growth in DWDSs. Moreover, our results suggest that mycobacterial aromatic degradation is primarily achieved through the catechol meta-cleavage pathway, and biofilm mycobacteria could prefer phosphate as the phosphorus source.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junge Zhu
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ruyin Liu
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Nan Cao
- Beijing Waterworks Group, Beijing, China
| | - Jianwei Yu
- Research Center for Eco-environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xinchun Liu
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhisheng Yu
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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30
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Farhat M, Alkharsah KR, Alkhamis FI, Bukharie HA. Metagenomic study on the composition of culturable and non-culturable bacteria in tap water and biofilms at intensive care units. JOURNAL OF WATER AND HEALTH 2019; 17:72-83. [PMID: 30758305 DOI: 10.2166/wh.2018.213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial community diversity of bulk water and corresponding biofilms of four intensive care units' (ICUs) drinking water systems were studied and compared using 16S rRNA gene amplicons and next generation sequencing. Proteobacteria, mainly Alphaproteobacteria and Betaproteobacteria were dominant in the bulk water and biofilms. Principal component analysis showed different bacterial communities characterizing each of the bulk water and the biofilms in three of the studied ICUs. Taxonomic classification and comparison of different genera between samples highlighted the dominance of Aquabacterium (80%) and Novosphingobium (72%) in bulk water while biofilms harbored different bacteria affiliated to Pelomonas (97%) and Caulobacter (96%), Porphyrobacter (78%) and Staphylococcus (74%). Staphylococcus aureus was the only possible pathogen found with low percentage (2.32%) in three of the ICUs' biofilm and only in one of the ICU's bulk water. This study sheds light on the prevalence of unculturable bacterial flora in the biofilm ignored by the microbiological standard methods. This study was performed on tap and bulk water from ICUs; however, it indicates the need for further studies to investigate the function and activity of the microbial diversity in order to assess the real risk presented by this water microflora on patients' health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maha Farhat
- Department of Epidemic Diseases Research, Institute for Research and Medical Consultation, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University (IAU), Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia E-mail: ; Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University (IAU), P.O. Box 1982, Dammam 31441, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Khaled R Alkharsah
- Department of Epidemic Diseases Research, Institute for Research and Medical Consultation, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University (IAU), Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia E-mail: ; Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University (IAU), Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Fatimah I Alkhamis
- Department of Epidemic Diseases Research, Institute for Research and Medical Consultation, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University (IAU), Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia E-mail:
| | - Huda A Bukharie
- Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University (IAU), Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
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31
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Shams DF, Islam S, Shi B, Khan W, Gunawardana B, Saad M, Qasim M, Javed HA, Afridi SG, Naeem M, Khan GS. Characteristics of pipe corrosion scales in untreated water distribution system and effect on water quality in Peshawar, Pakistan. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2019; 26:5794-5803. [PMID: 30613893 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-018-04099-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2018] [Accepted: 12/27/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated the characteristics of iron corrosion scales in pipes at tube well, overhead tank, and consumers' end in older untreated water distribution system in Peshawar city, Pakistan. Effect of water quality conditions on corrosion scales and that of scales on drinking water quality in such systems was also assessed by undertaking a comparison with new piped distribution systems. The scales were analyzed for chemical composition and morphology using X-ray diffraction (XRD), inductively coupled plasma (ICP), and a scanning electron microscope (SEM), while water quality was examined for physicochemical and biological characteristics. The main crystalline phases of corrosion scales were goethite, magnetite, siderite, and quartz. From tube well to consumers' end, goethite increased from 36 up to 48%, quartz declined from 22 to 15%, while magnetite fluctuated and siderite disappeared. Elemental composition of scales showed the deposition of Zn, Al, Mn, Cr, Pb, Cu, As, and Cd with Zn (13.9 g/kg) and Al (3.6 g/kg) in highest proportion. The SEM analysis illustrated the presence of microbial communities indicating the formation of biofilms in the corrosion scales. The significant difference (P < 0.05) in levels of dissolved oxygen (DO), Cl-, SiO44-, electrical conductivity (EC), SO42-, NO3-, alkalinity, hardness, and trace metals between old (DS-O) and new piped systems indicated their role in corrosion scale formation/destabilization and the effect of scale dissolution on water quality. In DS-O, EC, Cu, and Mn were significantly higher (P < 0.05), whereas turbidity, EC, DO, and SiO44- significantly increased from source to consumers' end implying a higher dissolution of scales and lowered corrosion rates in DS-O to utilize SiO44- and DO for iron oxidation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dilawar Farhan Shams
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, 23200, Pakistan.
| | - Saeed Islam
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, 23200, Pakistan
| | - Baoyou Shi
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China
| | - Waliullah Khan
- Department of Chemistry, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, 23200, Pakistan
| | - Buddhika Gunawardana
- Department of Civil Engineering, University of Moratuwa, Moratuwa, 10400, Sri Lanka
| | - Maryam Saad
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, 23200, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Qasim
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, 23200, Pakistan
| | - Haider Ali Javed
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, 23200, Pakistan
| | - Sahib Gul Afridi
- Department of Biochemistry, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, 23200, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Naeem
- Department of Chemistry, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, 23200, Pakistan
| | - Gul Shahzada Khan
- Department of Chemistry, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, 23200, Pakistan
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Aggarwal S, Gomez-Smith CK, Jeon Y, LaPara TM, Waak MB, Hozalski RM. Effects of Chloramine and Coupon Material on Biofilm Abundance and Community Composition in Bench-Scale Simulated Water Distribution Systems and Comparison with Full-Scale Water Mains. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2018; 52:13077-13088. [PMID: 30351033 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.8b02607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The vast majority of bacteria in drinking water distribution systems (DWDSs) reside in biofilms on the interior walls of water mains. Little is known about how water quality conditions affect water-main biofilms because of the inherent limitations in experimenting with drinking water supplies and accessing the water mains for sampling. Bench-scale reactors permit experimentation and ease of biofilm sampling, yet questions remain as to how well biofilms in laboratory reactors represent those on water mains. In this study, the effects of DWDS pipe materials and chloramine residual on biofilms were investigated by cultivating biofilms on cement, polyvinyl chloride, and high density polyethylene coupons in CDC reactors for up to 28 months in the presence of chloraminated or dechlorinated tap water. The bench-scale biofilm microbiomes were then compared with the microbiome on a water main from the full-scale system that supplied the water to the reactors. The presence of a chloramine residual (1.74 ± 0.21 mg/L) suppressed biofilm accumulation and selected for Mycobacterium-like and Sphingopyxis-like operational taxonomic units (OTUs) while the destruction of the chloramine residual resulted in a significant increase in biomass quantity and a shift toward a more diverse community dominated by Nitrospira-like OTUs, which, our results suggest, may be complete ammonia oxidizers (comammox). Coupon material, however, had a relatively minor effect on the abundance and community composition of the biofilm bacteria. Although biofilm communities from the chloraminated water reactor and the water mains shared some dominant populations (namely, Mycobacterium- and Nitrosomonas-like OTUs), the communities were significantly different. This manuscript provides novel insights into the effects of dechlorination and pipe material on biofilm community composition. Furthermore, to our knowledge, it is the first study to compare biofilm in a tap water-fed, bench-scale simulated distribution system to biofilm on water mains from the full-scale system supplying the tap water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Srijan Aggarwal
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering , University of Alaska Fairbanks , Fairbanks , Alaska 99775 , United States
| | - C Kimloi Gomez-Smith
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo-Engineering , University of Minnesota , Minneapolis , Minnesota 55455 , United States
| | - Youchul Jeon
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering , University of Toledo , Toledo , Ohio 43606-339 , United States
| | - Timothy M LaPara
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo-Engineering , University of Minnesota , Minneapolis , Minnesota 55455 , United States
- BioTechnology Institute , University of Minnesota , St. Paul , Minnesota 55108 , United States
| | - Michael B Waak
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering , Norwegian University of Science and Technology , 7491 Trondheim , Norway
| | - Raymond M Hozalski
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo-Engineering , University of Minnesota , Minneapolis , Minnesota 55455 , United States
- BioTechnology Institute , University of Minnesota , St. Paul , Minnesota 55108 , United States
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Saleem F, Mustafa A, Kori JA, Hussain MS, Kamran Azim M. Metagenomic Characterization of Bacterial Communities in Drinking Water Supply System of a Mega City. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2018; 76:899-910. [PMID: 29691611 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-018-1192-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2018] [Accepted: 04/11/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Supplying safe water to consumers is vital for protection of public health. With population of > 15 million, Karachi is the main economical hub of Pakistan. Lake Keenjhar serves as the main source of fresh water while Hub dam is the secondary water reservoir for Karachi. In this study, bacterial community of the drinking water supply system (DWSS) of Karachi was studied from source to tap using metagenomics approach. For this purpose, we collected 41 water samples from different areas of the city (n = 38) and water reservoirs (n = 3). 16S rDNA metagenomic sequencing of water samples revealed that 88% sequences were associated with Proteobacteria (52%), Planctomycetes (15%), Becteroidetes (12%), and Verrucomicrobia (6%). On the class level, α-proteobacteria (6-56%) were found to be the most abundant followed by β- (8-41%) and γ-proteobacteria (6-52%). On the genus level, substantial diversity was observed among the samples. Bacterial communities in water from Hub dam was found to be distantly related while among the residential towns, Lyari was highly distant from the others. Twenty-four bacterial genera were found to be exclusively present in residential area samples in comparison to the source waters which is suggestive of their resistance against treatment procedures and/or contamination. Metagenomic analysis revealed abundance of Pseudomonas, Legionella, Neisseria, Acinetobacter, Bosea, and Microcystis genera in residential areas water samples. The present metagenomic analysis of DWSS of Karachi has allowed the evaluation of bacterial communities in source water and the water being supplied to the city. Moreover, measurement of heavy metals in water samples from Karachi revealed arsenic concentration according to WHO standards which is in contrast of recent study which reported extensive arsenic contamination in aquifers in the Indus valley plain. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first metagenomic study of DWSS of Karachi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faizan Saleem
- Jamil-ur-Rahman Center for Genome Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Atif Mustafa
- Department of Environmental Engineering, N.E.D. University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Junaid Ahmed Kori
- Jamil-ur-Rahman Center for Genome Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Saad Hussain
- Jamil-ur-Rahman Center for Genome Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - M Kamran Azim
- Jamil-ur-Rahman Center for Genome Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan.
- Department of Biosciences, Mohammad Ali Jinnah University, Karachi, Pakistan.
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Van Assche A, Crauwels S, De Brabanter J, Willems KA, Lievens B. Characterization of the bacterial community composition in water of drinking water production and distribution systems in Flanders, Belgium. Microbiologyopen 2018; 8:e00726. [PMID: 30318762 PMCID: PMC6528567 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2018] [Revised: 08/09/2018] [Accepted: 08/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The quality of drinking water is influenced by its chemical and microbial composition which in turn may be affected by the source water and the different processes applied in drinking water purification systems. In this study, we investigated the bacterial diversity in different water samples from the production and distribution chain of thirteen drinking water production and distribution systems from Flanders (Belgium) that use surface water or groundwater as source water. Water samples were collected over two seasons from the source water, the processed drinking water within the production facility and out of the tap in houses along its distribution network. 454‐pyrosequencing of 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequences revealed a total of 1,570 species‐level bacterial operational taxonomic units. Strong differences in community composition were found between processed drinking water samples originating from companies that use surface water and other that use groundwater as source water. Proteobacteria was the most abundant phylum in all samples. Yet, several phyla including Actinobacteria were significantly more abundant in surface water while Cyanobacteria were more abundant in surface water and processed water originating from surface water. Gallionella, Acinetobacter, and Pseudomonas were the three most abundant genera detected. Members of the Acinetobacter genus were even found at a relative read abundance of up to 47.5% in processed water samples, indicating a general occurrence of Acinetobacter in drinking water (systems).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ado Van Assche
- Laboratory for Process Microbial Ecology and Bioinspirational Management (PME & BIM), Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems (M2S), KU Leuven, Campus De Nayer, Sint-Katelijne-Waver, Belgium
| | - Sam Crauwels
- Laboratory for Process Microbial Ecology and Bioinspirational Management (PME & BIM), Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems (M2S), KU Leuven, Campus De Nayer, Sint-Katelijne-Waver, Belgium
| | - Joseph De Brabanter
- Department of Electrical Engineering (ESAT - STADIUS), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kris A Willems
- Laboratory for Process Microbial Ecology and Bioinspirational Management (PME & BIM), Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems (M2S), KU Leuven, Campus De Nayer, Sint-Katelijne-Waver, Belgium
| | - Bart Lievens
- Laboratory for Process Microbial Ecology and Bioinspirational Management (PME & BIM), Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems (M2S), KU Leuven, Campus De Nayer, Sint-Katelijne-Waver, Belgium
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Chen J, Li N, Xie S, Chen C. Biofilm and planktonic bacterial communities in a drinking water distribution system supplied with untreated groundwater. Arch Microbiol 2018; 200:1323-1331. [DOI: 10.1007/s00203-018-1546-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2018] [Revised: 06/19/2018] [Accepted: 06/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Sala-Comorera L, Blanch AR, Vilaró C, Galofré B, García-Aljaro C. Heterotrophic monitoring at a drinking water treatment plant by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry after different drinking water treatments. JOURNAL OF WATER AND HEALTH 2017; 15:885-897. [PMID: 29215353 DOI: 10.2166/wh.2017.090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this work was to assess the suitability of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) for routine heterotrophic monitoring in a drinking water treatment plant. Water samples were collected from raw surface water and after different treatments during two campaigns over a 1-year period. Heterotrophic bacteria were studied and isolates were identified by MALDI-TOF MS. Moreover, the diversity index and the coefficient of population similarity were also calculated using biochemical fingerprinting of the populations studied. MALDI-TOF MS enabled us to characterize and detect changes in the bacterial community composition throughout the water treatment plant. Raw water showed a large and diverse population which was slightly modified after initial treatment steps (sand filtration and ultrafiltration). Reverse osmosis had a significant impact on the microbial diversity, while the final chlorination step produced a shift in the composition of the bacterial community. Although MALDI-TOF MS could not identify all the isolates since the available MALDI-TOF MS database does not cover all the bacterial diversity in water, this technique could be used to monitor bacterial changes in drinking water treatment plants by creating a specific protein profile database for tracking purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Sala-Comorera
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain E-mail:
| | - Anicet R Blanch
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain E-mail:
| | - Carles Vilaró
- Aigües de Barcelona, EMGCIA, C/General Batet 1-7, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Belén Galofré
- Aigües de Barcelona, EMGCIA, C/General Batet 1-7, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cristina García-Aljaro
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain E-mail:
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Momper L, Kiel Reese B, Zinke L, Wanger G, Osburn MR, Moser D, Amend JP. Major phylum-level differences between porefluid and host rock bacterial communities in the terrestrial deep subsurface. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2017; 9:501-511. [PMID: 28677247 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.12563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2016] [Revised: 01/06/2017] [Accepted: 06/19/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Earth's deep subsurface biosphere (DSB) is home to a vast number and wide variety of microorganisms. Although difficult to access and sample, deep subsurface environments have been probed through drilling programs, exploration of mines and sampling of deeply sourced vents and springs. In an effort to understand the ecology of deep terrestrial habitats, we examined bacterial diversity in the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF), the former Homestake gold mine, in South Dakota, USA. Whole genomic DNA was extracted from deeply circulating groundwater and corresponding host rock (at a depth of 1.45 km below ground surface). Pyrotag DNA sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene revealed diverse communities of putative chemolithoautotrophs, aerobic and anaerobic heterotrophs, numerous candidate phyla and unique rock-associated microbial assemblage. There was a clear and near-total separation of communities between SURF deeply circulating fracture fluids and SURF host-rocks. Sequencing data from SURF compared against five similarly sequenced terrestrial subsurface sites in Europe and North America revealed classes Clostridia and Betaproteobacteria were dominant in terrestrial fluids. This study presents a unique analysis showing differences in terrestrial subsurface microbial communities between fracture fluids and host rock through which those fluids permeate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lily Momper
- Department of Biological Sciences, Marine Environmental Biology Section, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Brandi Kiel Reese
- Department of Life Sciences, Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi, TX, USA
| | - Laura Zinke
- Department of Biological Sciences, Marine Environmental Biology Section, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Greg Wanger
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Magdalena R Osburn
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Duane Moser
- Division of Earth and Ecosystem Sciences, Desert Research Institute, Las Vegas, NV, USA
| | - Jan P Amend
- Department of Biological Sciences, Marine Environmental Biology Section, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Abstract
The BE microbiome is a naturally embedded biosensor in urban infrastructure that can be used to monitor environmental quality and human activity. There are many potential opportunities for leveraging BE microbial communities to guide urban design and public health policy. ![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangqiong Ling
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 500 Technology Square, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
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Ma X, Vikram A, Casson L, Bibby K. Centralized Drinking Water Treatment Operations Shape Bacterial and Fungal Community Structure. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2017; 51:7648-7657. [PMID: 28562026 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.7b00768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Drinking water microbial communities impact opportunistic pathogen colonization and corrosion of water distribution systems, and centralized drinking water treatment represents a potential control for microbial community structure in finished drinking water. In this article, we examine bacterial and fungal abundance and diversity, as well as the microbial community taxonomic structure following each unit operation in a conventional surface water treatment plant. Treatment operations drove the microbial composition more strongly than sampling time. Both bacterial and fungal abundance and diversity decreased following sedimentation and filtration; however, only bacterial abundance and diversity was significantly impacted by free chlorine disinfection. Similarly, each treatment step was found to shift bacterial and fungal community beta-diversity, with the exception of disinfection on the fungal community structure. We observed the enrichment of bacterial and fungal taxa commonly found in drinking water distribution systems through the treatment process, for example, Sphingomonas following filtration and Leptospirillium and Penicillium following disinfection. Study results suggest that centralized drinking water treatment processes shape the final drinking water microbial community via selection of community members and that the bacterial community is primarily driven by disinfection while the eukaryotic community is primarily controlled by physical treatment processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Ma
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Pittsburgh , Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Amit Vikram
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Pittsburgh , Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Leonard Casson
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Pittsburgh , Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
- Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh , Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Pittsburgh , Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh Medical School , Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
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40
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Zhang Y, Oh S, Liu WT. Impact of drinking water treatment and distribution on the microbiome continuum: an ecological disturbance's perspective. Environ Microbiol 2017; 19:3163-3174. [PMID: 28654183 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.13800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2016] [Revised: 04/30/2017] [Accepted: 05/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
While microbes are known to be present at different stages of a drinking water system, their potential functions and ability to grow in such systems are poorly understood. In this study, we demonstrated that treatment and distribution processes could be viewed as ecological disturbances exhibited over space on the microbiome continuum in a groundwater-derived system. Results from 16S rRNA gene amplicon analysis and metagenomics suggested that disturbances in the system were intense as the community diversity was substantially reduced during the treatment steps. Specifically, syntrophs and methanogens dominant in raw water (RW) disappeared after water abstraction, accompanied by a substantial decrease in both the abundance and number of functional genes related to methanogenesis. The softening effluent was dominated by an Exiguobacterium-related population, likely due to its ability to use the phosphotransferase system (PTS) as regulatory machinery to control the energy conditions of the cell. After disinfection and entering the distribution system, community-level functionality remained relatively stable, whereas the community structure differed from those taken in the treatment steps. The diversity and high abundance of some eukaryotic groups in the system suggested that predation could be a disturbance to the bacterial microbiome, which could further drive the diversification of the bacterial community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya Zhang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 205 N. Mathews Ave, Urbana, IL, 61810, USA
| | - Seungdae Oh
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore
| | - Wen-Tso Liu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 205 N. Mathews Ave, Urbana, IL, 61810, USA
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41
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Wang H, Bédard E, Prévost M, Camper AK, Hill VR, Pruden A. Methodological approaches for monitoring opportunistic pathogens in premise plumbing: A review. WATER RESEARCH 2017; 117:68-86. [PMID: 28390237 PMCID: PMC5693313 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2017.03.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2017] [Revised: 03/19/2017] [Accepted: 03/22/2017] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Opportunistic premise (i.e., building) plumbing pathogens (OPPPs, e.g., Legionella pneumophila, Mycobacterium avium complex, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acanthamoeba, and Naegleria fowleri) are a significant and growing source of disease. Because OPPPs establish and grow as part of the native drinking water microbiota, they do not correspond to fecal indicators, presenting a major challenge to standard drinking water monitoring practices. Further, different OPPPs present distinct requirements for sampling, preservation, and analysis, creating an impediment to their parallel detection. The aim of this critical review is to evaluate the state of the science of monitoring OPPPs and identify a path forward for their parallel detection and quantification in a manner commensurate with the need for reliable data that is informative to risk assessment and mitigation. Water and biofilm sampling procedures, as well as factors influencing sample representativeness and detection sensitivity, are critically evaluated with respect to the five representative bacterial and amoebal OPPPs noted above. Available culturing and molecular approaches are discussed in terms of their advantages, limitations, and applicability. Knowledge gaps and research needs towards standardized approaches are identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China.
| | - Emilie Bédard
- Department of Civil Engineering, Polytechnique Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Michèle Prévost
- Department of Civil Engineering, Polytechnique Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Anne K Camper
- Center for Biofilm Engineering and Department of Civil Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - Vincent R Hill
- Waterborne Disease Prevention Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Amy Pruden
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
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Liu G, Zhang Y, Knibbe WJ, Feng C, Liu W, Medema G, van der Meer W. Potential impacts of changing supply-water quality on drinking water distribution: A review. WATER RESEARCH 2017; 116:135-148. [PMID: 28329709 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2017.03.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2016] [Revised: 02/17/2017] [Accepted: 03/15/2017] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Driven by the development of water purification technologies and water quality regulations, the use of better source water and/or upgraded water treatment processes to improve drinking water quality have become common practices worldwide. However, even though these elements lead to improved water quality, the water quality may be impacted during its distribution through piped networks due to the processes such as pipe material release, biofilm formation and detachment, accumulation and resuspension of loose deposits. Irregular changes in supply-water quality may cause physiochemical and microbiological de-stabilization of pipe material, biofilms and loose deposits in the distribution system that have been established over decades and may harbor components that cause health or esthetical issues (brown water). Even though it is clearly relevant to customers' health (e.g., recent Flint water crisis), until now, switching of supply-water quality is done without any systematic evaluation. This article reviews the contaminants that develop in the water distribution system and their characteristics, as well as the possible transition effects during the switching of treated water quality by destabilization and the release of pipe material and contaminants into the water and the subsequent risks. At the end of this article, a framework is proposed for the evaluation of potential transition effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Liu
- Oasen Drinkwater, PO BOX 122, 2800 AC, Gouda, The Netherlands; Sanitary Engineering, Department of Water Management, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology, P.O. Box 5048, 2600 GA, Delft, The Netherlands.
| | - Ya Zhang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 205 N. Mathews Ave., Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | | | - Cuijie Feng
- Sanitary Engineering, Department of Water Management, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology, P.O. Box 5048, 2600 GA, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Wentso Liu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 205 N. Mathews Ave., Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Gertjan Medema
- Sanitary Engineering, Department of Water Management, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology, P.O. Box 5048, 2600 GA, Delft, The Netherlands; KWR Watercycle Research Institute, P.O. Box 1072, 3430 BB, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
| | - Walter van der Meer
- Oasen Drinkwater, PO BOX 122, 2800 AC, Gouda, The Netherlands; Science and Technology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE, Enschede, The Netherlands
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Lee KH, Ab Samad LS, Lwin PM, Riedel SF, Magin A, Bashir M, Vaishampayan PA, Lin WJ. On the Rocks: Microbiological Quality and Microbial Diversity of Packaged Ice in Southern California. J Food Prot 2017; 80:1041-1049. [PMID: 28517954 DOI: 10.4315/0362-028x.jfp-16-295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Ice is defined as a food and is frequently used in direct contact with food and beverages. Packaged ice is commercially produced and can be easily found in grocery and convenience stores. However, the quality and safety of packaged ice products is not consistent. The Packaged Ice Quality Control Standards manual (PIQCS) published by the International Packaged Ice Association provides the quality and processing standards for packaged ice produced by its members. Packaged ice produced on the premise of stores (on-site packaged ice) is not required to be in compliance with these standards. In this study, packaged ice produced by manufacturing plants or by in-store bagger (ISB) machines and on-site packaged ice were compared for their microbiological quality and microbial diversity. Our results revealed that 19% of the 120 on-site packaged ice samples did not meet the PIQCS microbial limit of 500 CFU/mL (or g) and also the absence of coliforms and Escherichia coli . Staphylococci were found in 34% of the on-site packaged ice samples, most likely through contamination from the packaging workers. None of the ISB and manufactured packaged ice samples had unacceptable microbial levels, and all were devoid of staphylococci. Salmonella was absent in all samples analyzed in this study. Microbial community analysis of ice based on 16S/18S rRNA targeted sequencing revealed a much higher microbial diversity and abundance in the on-site packaged ice than in the ISB ice. Proteobacteria, especially Alphaproteobacteria and Betaproteobacteria, were the dominant bacterial groups in all samples tested. Most of these bacteria were oligotrophic; however, a few opportunistic or potential pathogens were found at low levels in the on-site packaged ice but not in the ISB packaged ice. The types of microbes identified may provide information needed to investigate potential sources of contamination. Our data also suggest a need for enforcement of processing standards during the on-site packaging of ice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Ho Lee
- 1 Department of Biological Sciences, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, California 91768, USA (ORCID; http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0001-3488 [W.-J.L.])
| | - Liana S Ab Samad
- 1 Department of Biological Sciences, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, California 91768, USA (ORCID; http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0001-3488 [W.-J.L.])
| | - Phillip M Lwin
- 1 Department of Biological Sciences, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, California 91768, USA (ORCID; http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0001-3488 [W.-J.L.])
| | - Stefan F Riedel
- 1 Department of Biological Sciences, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, California 91768, USA (ORCID; http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0001-3488 [W.-J.L.])
| | - Ashley Magin
- 1 Department of Biological Sciences, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, California 91768, USA (ORCID; http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0001-3488 [W.-J.L.])
| | - Mina Bashir
- 2 Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91109, USA.,3 Division of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Parag A Vaishampayan
- 2 Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91109, USA
| | - Wei-Jen Lin
- 1 Department of Biological Sciences, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, California 91768, USA (ORCID; http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0001-3488 [W.-J.L.])
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44
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Vaz-Moreira I, Nunes OC, Manaia CM. Ubiquitous and persistent Proteobacteria and other Gram-negative bacteria in drinking water. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 586:1141-1149. [PMID: 28238372 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.02.104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2016] [Revised: 02/11/2017] [Accepted: 02/12/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Drinking water comprises a complex microbiota, in part shaped by the disinfection and distribution systems. Gram-negative bacteria, mainly members of the phylum Proteobacteria, represent the most frequent bacteria in drinking water, and their ubiquity and physiological versatility raises questions about possible implications in human health. The first step to address this concern is the identification and characterization of such bacteria that is the first objective of this study, aiming at identifying ubiquitous or persistent Gram-negative bacteria, Proteobacteria or members of other phyla, isolated from tap water or from its source. >1000 bacterial isolates were characterized and identified, and a selected group (n=68) was further analyzed for the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) to antibiotics (amoxicillin and gentamicin) and metals (copper and arsenite). Total DNA extracts of tap water were examined for the presence of putatively acquired antibiotic resistance or related genes (intI1, blaTEM, qnrS and sul1). The ubiquitous tap water genera comprised Proteobacteria of the class Alpha- (Blastomonas, Brevundimonas, Methylobacterium, Sphingobium, Sphingomonas), Beta- (Acidovorax, Ralstonia) and Gamma- (Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas). Persistent species were members of genera such as Aeromonas, Enterobacter or Dechloromonas. Ralstonia spp. showed the highest MIC values to gentamicin and Acinetobacter spp. to arsenite. The genes intI1, blaTEM or sul1 were detected, at densities lower than 2.3×105copies/L, 2.4×104copies/L and 4.6×102copies/L, respectively, in most tap water samples. The presence of some bacterial groups, in particular of Beta- or Gammaproteobacteria (e.g. Ralstonia, Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas) in drinking water may deserve attention given their potential as reservoirs or carriers of resistance or as opportunistic pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivone Vaz-Moreira
- Universidade Católica Portuguesa, CBQF - Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina - Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Rua Arquiteto Lobão Vital, Apartado 2511, 4202-401 Porto, Portugal; LEPABE, Laboratório de Engenharia de Processos, Ambiente, Biotecnologia e Energia, Faculdade de Engenharia, Universidade do Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal.
| | - Olga C Nunes
- LEPABE, Laboratório de Engenharia de Processos, Ambiente, Biotecnologia e Energia, Faculdade de Engenharia, Universidade do Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Célia M Manaia
- Universidade Católica Portuguesa, CBQF - Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina - Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Rua Arquiteto Lobão Vital, Apartado 2511, 4202-401 Porto, Portugal
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Morohoshi T, Sato N, Iizumi T, Tanaka A, Ikeda T. Identification and characterization of a novel N -acyl-homoserine lactonase gene in Sphingomonas ursincola isolated from industrial cooling water systems. J Biosci Bioeng 2017; 123:569-575. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiosc.2016.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2016] [Revised: 12/03/2016] [Accepted: 12/19/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Puzon GJ, Wylie JT, Walsh T, Braun K, Morgan MJ. Comparison of biofilm ecology supporting growth of individual Naegleria species in a drinking water distribution system. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2017; 93:3044201. [DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fix017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2016] [Accepted: 02/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
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Naz I, Hodgson D, Smith A, Marchesi J, Ahmed S, Avignone-Rossa C, Saroj DP. Effect of the chemical composition of filter media on the microbial community in wastewater biofilms at different temperatures. RSC Adv 2016; 6:104345-104353. [PMID: 28018581 PMCID: PMC5154295 DOI: 10.1039/c6ra21040f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2016] [Accepted: 10/24/2016] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
This study investigates the microbial community composition in the biofilms grown on two different support media in fixed biofilm reactors for aerobic wastewater treatment, using next generation sequencing (NGS) technology. The chemical composition of the new type of support medium (TDR) was found to be quite different from the conventionally used support medium (stone). The analysis of 16S rRNA gene fragments recovered from the laboratory scale biofilm system show that biofilm support media and temperature conditions influence bacterial community structure and composition. Greater bacterial diversity was observed under each condition, primarily due to the large number of sequences available and sustenance of rare species. There were 6 phyla found, with the highest relative abundance shown by the phylum Proteobacteria (52.71%) followed by Bacteroidetes (33.33%), Actinobacteria (4.65%), Firmicutes, Verrucomicrobia (3.1%) and Chloroflex (>1%). The dataset showed 17 genera of bacterial populations to be commonly shared under all conditions, suggesting the presence of a core microbial community in the biofilms for wastewater treatment. However, some genera in the biofilms on TDR were observed in high proportions, which may be attributed to its chemical composition, explaining the improved level of wastewater treatment. The findings show that the structure of microbial communities in biofilm systems for wastewater treatment is affected by the properties of support matrix.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iffat Naz
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK. ; Department of Biology, Qassim University, Buraidah 51452, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Environmental Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan; Department of Microbial Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK
| | - Douglas Hodgson
- Department of Microbial Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK
| | - Ann Smith
- Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3XQ, UK
| | - Julian Marchesi
- Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3XQ, UK; Centre for Digestive and Gut Health, Imperial College London, London W2 1NY, UK
| | - Safia Ahmed
- Environmental Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan
| | | | - Devendra P Saroj
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK.
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Bacterial abundance and diversity in pond water supplied with different feeds. Sci Rep 2016; 6:35232. [PMID: 27759010 PMCID: PMC5069485 DOI: 10.1038/srep35232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2016] [Accepted: 09/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The abundance and diversity of bacteria in two types of ponds were investigated by quantitative PCR and Illumina MiSeq sequencing. The results revealed that the abundance of bacterial 16S rRNA genes in D ponds (with grass carp fed sudan grass) was significantly lower than that in E ponds (with grass carp fed commercial feed). The microbial communities were dominated by Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria in both E and D ponds, while the abundance of some genera was significantly different between the two types of ponds. Specifically, some potential pathogens such as Acinetobacter and Aeromonas were found to be significantly decreased, while some probiotics such as Comamonadaceae unclassified and Bacillales unclassified were significantly increased in D ponds. In addition, water quality of D ponds was better than that of E ponds. Temperature, dissolved oxygen and nutrients had significant influence on bacterial communities. The differences in bacterial community compositions between the two types of ponds could be partially explained by the different water conditions.
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Douterelo I, Husband S, Loza V, Boxall J. Dynamics of Biofilm Regrowth in Drinking Water Distribution Systems. Appl Environ Microbiol 2016; 82:4155-4168. [PMID: 27208119 PMCID: PMC4959196 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00109-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2016] [Accepted: 04/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED The majority of biomass within water distribution systems is in the form of attached biofilm. This is known to be central to drinking water quality degradation following treatment, yet little understanding of the dynamics of these highly heterogeneous communities exists. This paper presents original information on such dynamics, with findings demonstrating patterns of material accumulation, seasonality, and influential factors. Rigorous flushing operations repeated over a 1-year period on an operational chlorinated system in the United Kingdom are presented here. Intensive monitoring and sampling were undertaken, including time-series turbidity and detailed microbial analysis using 16S rRNA Illumina MiSeq sequencing. The results show that bacterial dynamics were influenced by differences in the supplied water and by the material remaining attached to the pipe wall following flushing. Turbidity, metals, and phosphate were the main factors correlated with the distribution of bacteria in the samples. Coupled with the lack of inhibition of biofilm development due to residual chlorine, this suggests that limiting inorganic nutrients, rather than organic carbon, might be a viable component in treatment strategies to manage biofilms. The research also showed that repeat flushing exerted beneficial selective pressure, giving another reason for flushing being a viable advantageous biofilm management option. This work advances our understanding of microbiological processes in drinking water distribution systems and helps inform strategies to optimize asset performance. IMPORTANCE This research provides novel information regarding the dynamics of biofilm formation in real drinking water distribution systems made of different materials. This new knowledge on microbiological process in water supply systems can be used to optimize the performance of the distribution network and to guarantee safe and good-quality drinking water to consumers.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Douterelo
- Pennine Water Group, Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - S Husband
- Pennine Water Group, Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - V Loza
- Pennine Water Group, Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - J Boxall
- Pennine Water Group, Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
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Deshmukh RA, Joshi K, Bhand S, Roy U. Recent developments in detection and enumeration of waterborne bacteria: a retrospective minireview. Microbiologyopen 2016; 5:901-922. [PMID: 27397728 PMCID: PMC5221461 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2015] [Revised: 04/20/2016] [Accepted: 05/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Waterborne diseases have emerged as global health problems and their rapid and sensitive detection in environmental water samples is of great importance. Bacterial identification and enumeration in water samples is significant as it helps to maintain safe drinking water for public consumption. Culture‐based methods are laborious, time‐consuming, and yield false‐positive results, whereas viable but nonculturable (VBNCs) microorganisms cannot be recovered. Hence, numerous methods have been developed for rapid detection and quantification of waterborne pathogenic bacteria in water. These rapid methods can be classified into nucleic acid‐based, immunology‐based, and biosensor‐based detection methods. This review summarizes the principle and current state of rapid methods for the monitoring and detection of waterborne bacterial pathogens. Rapid methods outlined are polymerase chain reaction (PCR), digital droplet PCR, real‐time PCR, multiplex PCR, DNA microarray, Next‐generation sequencing (pyrosequencing, Illumina technology and genomics), and fluorescence in situ hybridization that are categorized as nucleic acid‐based methods. Enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunofluorescence are classified into immunology‐based methods. Optical, electrochemical, and mass‐based biosensors are grouped into biosensor‐based methods. Overall, these methods are sensitive, specific, time‐effective, and important in prevention and diagnosis of waterborne bacterial diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rehan A Deshmukh
- Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani-K.K. Birla Goa Campus, NH17B Bypass, Zuarinagar, Goa, 403726, India
| | - Kopal Joshi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani-K.K. Birla Goa Campus, NH17B Bypass, Zuarinagar, Goa, 403726, India
| | - Sunil Bhand
- Biosensor Lab, Department of Chemistry, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani-K.K. Birla Goa Campus, NH17B Bypass, Zuarinagar, Goa, 403726, India
| | - Utpal Roy
- Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani-K.K. Birla Goa Campus, NH17B Bypass, Zuarinagar, Goa, 403726, India
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