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Bagordo F, Brigida S, Grassi T, Caputo MC, Apollonio F, De Carlo L, Savino AF, Triggiano F, Turturro AC, De Donno A, Montagna MT, De Giglio O. Factors Influencing Microbial Contamination of Groundwater: A Systematic Review of Field-Scale Studies. Microorganisms 2024; 12:913. [PMID: 38792743 PMCID: PMC11124417 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12050913] [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: 03/28/2024] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Pathogenic microorganisms released onto the soil from point or diffuse sources represent a public health concern. They can be transported by rainwater that infiltrates into subsoil and reach the groundwater where they can survive for a long time and contaminate drinking water sources. As part of the SCA.Re.S. (Evaluation of Health Risk Related to the Discharge of Wastewater on the Soil) project, we reviewed a selection of field-scale studies that investigated the factors that influenced the fate of microorganisms that were transported from the ground surface to the groundwater. A total of 24 studies published between 2003 and 2022 were included in the review. These studies were selected from the PubMed and Web of Science databases. Microbial contamination of groundwater depends on complex interactions between human activities responsible for the release of contaminants onto the soil, and a range of environmental and biological factors, including the geological, hydraulic, and moisture characteristics of the media traversed by the water, and the characteristics and the viability of the microorganisms, which in turn depend on the environmental conditions and presence of predatory species. Enterococci appeared to be more resistant in the underground environment than thermotolerant coliforms and were suggested as a better indicator for detecting microbial contamination of groundwater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Bagordo
- Department of Pharmacy-Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy;
| | - Silvia Brigida
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Salento, Via Monteroni 165, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (S.B.); (A.D.D.)
| | - Tiziana Grassi
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Salento, Via Monteroni 165, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (S.B.); (A.D.D.)
| | - Maria Clementina Caputo
- National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Water Research Institute (IRSA), Via F. De Blasio, 5, 70132 Bari, Italy; (M.C.C.); (L.D.C.); (A.C.T.)
| | - Francesca Apollonio
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza G. Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy; (F.A.); (F.T.); (M.T.M.); (O.D.G.)
| | - Lorenzo De Carlo
- National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Water Research Institute (IRSA), Via F. De Blasio, 5, 70132 Bari, Italy; (M.C.C.); (L.D.C.); (A.C.T.)
| | - Antonella Francesca Savino
- Hygiene Section, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Policlinico di Bari, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy;
| | - Francesco Triggiano
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza G. Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy; (F.A.); (F.T.); (M.T.M.); (O.D.G.)
| | - Antonietta Celeste Turturro
- National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Water Research Institute (IRSA), Via F. De Blasio, 5, 70132 Bari, Italy; (M.C.C.); (L.D.C.); (A.C.T.)
| | - Antonella De Donno
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Salento, Via Monteroni 165, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (S.B.); (A.D.D.)
| | - Maria Teresa Montagna
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza G. Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy; (F.A.); (F.T.); (M.T.M.); (O.D.G.)
| | - Osvalda De Giglio
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza G. Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy; (F.A.); (F.T.); (M.T.M.); (O.D.G.)
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Koziel JA, Frana TS, Ahn H, Glanville TD, Nguyen LT, van Leeuwen J(H. Efficacy of NH3 as a secondary barrier treatment for inactivation of Salmonella Typhimurium and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in digestate of animal carcasses: Proof-of-concept. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0176825. [PMID: 28475586 PMCID: PMC5419515 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0176825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2017] [Accepted: 04/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Managing the disposal of infectious animal carcasses from routine and catastrophic disease outbreaks is a global concern. Recent research suggests that burial in lined and aerated trenches provides the rapid pathogen containment provided by burial, while reducing air and water pollution potential and the length of time that land is taken out of agricultural production. Survival of pathogens in the digestate remains a concern, however. A potential answer is a 'dual'-barrier approach in which ammonia is used as a secondary barrier treatment to reduce the risk of pathogen contamination when trench liners ultimately leak. Results of this study showed that the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of NH3 is 0.1 M (~1,468 NH3-N mg/L), and 0.5 M NH3 (~7,340 NH3-N mg/L) for ST4232 & MRSA43300, respectively at 24 h and pH = 9±0.1 and inactivation was increased by increasing NH3 concentration and/or treatment time. Results for digestate treated with NH3 were consistent with the MICs, and both pathogens were completely inactivated within 24 h.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacek A. Koziel
- Dept. of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, United States of America
- Dept. of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, United States of America
- Dept. of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Iowa State University, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Timothy S. Frana
- Dept. of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Heekwon Ahn
- Dept. of Animal Biosystems Science, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Thomas D. Glanville
- Dept. of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Lam T. Nguyen
- Dept. of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, United States of America
| | - J. (Hans) van Leeuwen
- Dept. of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, United States of America
- Dept. of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, United States of America
- Dept. of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Iowa State University, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, United States of America
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Bradford SA, Schijven J, Harter T. Microbial Transport and Fate in the Subsurface Environment: Introduction to the Special Section. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY 2015; 44:1333-1337. [PMID: 26436251 DOI: 10.2134/jeq2015.07.0375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Microorganisms constitute an almost exclusive form of life in the earth's subsurface environment (not including caves), particularly at depths exceeding the soil horizon. While of broad interest to ecology and geology, scientific interest in the fate and transport of microorganisms, particularly those introduced through the anthropogenic environment, has focused on understanding the subsurface environment as a pathway for human pathogens and on optimizing the use of microbial organisms for remediation of potable groundwater. This special section, inspired by the 2014 Ninth International Symposium for Subsurface Microbiology, brings together recent efforts to better understand the spatiotemporal occurrence of anthropogenic microbial groundwater contamination and the fate and transport of microbes in the subsurface environment: in soils, deep unsaturated zones, and within aquifer systems. Work includes field reconnaissance, controlled laboratory studies to improve our understanding of specific fate and transport processes, and the development and application of improved mechanistic understanding of microbial fate and transport processes in the subsurface environment. The findings confirm and also challenge the limitations of our current understanding of highly complex microbial fate and transport processes across spatiotemporal scales in the subsurface environment; they also add to the increasing knowledge base to improve our ability to protect drinking water resources and perform in situ environmental remediation.
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