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Paruch AM, Paruch L. Current status of microbial source tracking applications in constructed wetlands serving as nature-based solutions for water management and wastewater treatment. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 351:124076. [PMID: 38685556 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124076] [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: 02/18/2024] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Microbial source tracking (MST) has been recognised as an effective tool for determining the origins and sources of faecal contamination in various terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Thus, it has been widely applied in environmental DNA (eDNA) surveys to define specific animal- and human-associated faecal eDNA. In this context, identification of and differentiation between anthropogenic and zoogenic faecal pollution origins and sources are pivotal for the evaluation of waterborne microbial contamination transport and the associated human, animal, and environmental health risks. These concerns are particularly pertinent to diverse nature-based solutions (NBS) that are being applied specifically to secure water safety and human and ecosystem well-being, for example, constructed wetlands (CWs) for water and wastewater treatment. The research in this area has undergone a constant evolution, and there is a solid foundation of publications available across the world. Hence, there is an early opportunity to synthesise valuable information and relevant knowledge on this specific topic, which will greatly benefit future work by improving NBS design and performance. By selecting 15 representative research reports published over 20 years, we review the current state of MST technology applied for faecal-associated contamination measures in NBS/CWs throughout the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam M Paruch
- Division of Environment and Natural Resources, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research-NIBIO, Oluf Thesens vei 43, 1433, Ås, Norway.
| | - Lisa Paruch
- Division of Environment and Natural Resources, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research-NIBIO, Oluf Thesens vei 43, 1433, Ås, Norway
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Vanderzalm J, Currie S, Smith W, Metcalfe S, Taylor N, Ahmed W. Microbial source tracking of fecal pollution to coral reef lagoons of Norfolk Island, Australia. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:168906. [PMID: 38016554 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
Fecal pollution contributes to global degradation of water quality and requires identification of the source(s) for predicting human health risk, tracking disease, and developing management strategies. While fecal indicator bacteria are commonly used to detect fecal pollution, they cannot identify sources. Novel approaches, such as microbial source tracking (MST), can be applied to evaluate the origin of fecal pollution. This study examined fecal pollution in the coral reef lagoons of Norfolk Island, Australia where reef health decline has been related to nutrient input. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the host sensitivity and specificity of two human wastewater-associated marker genes (Bacteroides HF183 (HF183) and cross-assembly phage (crAssphage)) and four animal feces associated marker genes targeting avian, ruminant, dog, and pig (Helicobacter-associated GFD (GFD), Bacteroides BacR (BacR), Bacteroides DogBact (DogBact), and Bacteroides Pig-2-Bac (Pig-2-Bac)) in wastewater and animal fecal samples collected from Norfolk Island. The prevalence and concentrations of these marker genes along with enterococci genetic marker (ENT 23S rRNA) of general fecal pollution and human adenovirus (HAdV), which is considered predominantly a pathogen but also a human-wastewater associated marker gene, were determined in surface, ground, and marine water resources. A secondary objective of this study was to assess the sources and pathways of fecal pollution to a sensitive marine environment under rainfall events. HF183, crAssphage, HAdV, and BacR demonstrated absolute host sensitivity values of 1.00, while GFD and Pig-2-Bac had host sensitivity values of 0.60, and 0.20, respectively. Host specificity values were > 0.94 for all marker genes. Human and animal (avian, ruminant, dog) fecal sources were present in the coral reef lagoons and surface water whereas groundwater was polluted by human wastewater markers. This study provides understanding of fecal pollution in water resources on Norfolk Island, Australia after precipitation events. The results may aid in effective water quality management, mitigating potential adverse effects on both human and environmental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanne Vanderzalm
- CSIRO Environment, Waite Campus, Waite Rd, Urrbrae, SA 5064, Australia.
| | - Sharon Currie
- CSIRO Environment, Waite Campus, Waite Rd, Urrbrae, SA 5064, Australia
| | - Wendy Smith
- CSIRO Environment, Ecosciences Precint, 41 Boggo Road, Dutton Park, QLD 4202, Australia
| | - Suzanne Metcalfe
- CSIRO Environment, Ecosciences Precint, 41 Boggo Road, Dutton Park, QLD 4202, Australia
| | - Nathan Taylor
- Norfolk Island Water Resource Assessment Team, Kingston, Norfolk Island
| | - Warish Ahmed
- CSIRO Environment, Ecosciences Precint, 41 Boggo Road, Dutton Park, QLD 4202, Australia
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Sresung M, Paisantham P, Ruksakul P, Kongprajug A, Chyerochana N, Gallage TP, Srathongneam T, Rattanakul S, Maneein S, Surasen C, Passananon S, Mongkolsuk S, Sirikanchana K. Microbial source tracking using molecular and cultivable methods in a tropical mixed-use drinking water source to support water safety plans. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 876:162689. [PMID: 36898534 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162689] [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: 12/10/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Microbial contamination deteriorates source water quality, posing a severe problem for drinking water suppliers worldwide and addressed by the Water Safety Plan framework to ensure high-quality and reliable drinking water. Microbial source tracking (MST) is used to examine different microbial pollution sources via host-specific intestinal markers for humans and different types of animals. However, the application of MST in tropical surface water catchments that provide raw water for drinking water supplies is limited. We analyzed a set of MST markers, namely, three cultivable bacteriophages and four molecular PCR and qPCR assays, together with 17 microbial and physicochemical parameters, to identify fecal pollution from general, human-, swine-, and cattle-specific sources. Seventy-two river water samples at six sampling sites were collected over 12 sampling events during wet and dry seasons. We found persistent fecal contamination via the general fecal marker GenBac3 (100 % detection; 2.10-5.42 log10 copies/100 mL), with humans (crAssphage; 74 % detection; 1.62-3.81 log10 copies/100 mL) and swine (Pig-2-Bac; 25 % detection; 1.92-2.91 log10 copies/100 mL). Higher contamination levels were observed during the wet season (p < 0.05). The conventional PCR screening used for the general and human markers showed 94.4 % and 69.8 % agreement with the respective qPCR results. Specifically, in the studied watershed, coliphage could be a screening parameter for the crAssphage marker (90.6 % and 73.7 % positive and negative predictive values; Spearman's rank correlation coefficient = 0.66; p < 0.001). The likelihood of detecting the crAssphage marker significantly increased when total and fecal coliforms exceeded 20,000 and 4000 MPN/100 mL, respectively, as Thailand Surface Water Quality Standards, with odds ratios and 95 % confidence intervals of 15.75 (4.43-55.98) and 5.65 (1.39-23.05). Our study confirms the potential benefits of incorporating MST monitoring into water safety plans, supporting the use of this approach to ensure high-quality drinking water supplies worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Montakarn Sresung
- Research Laboratory of Biotechnology, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Bangkok 10210, Thailand
| | - Phongsawat Paisantham
- Research Laboratory of Biotechnology, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Bangkok 10210, Thailand
| | - Pacharaporn Ruksakul
- Research Laboratory of Biotechnology, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Bangkok 10210, Thailand
| | - Akechai Kongprajug
- Research Laboratory of Biotechnology, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Bangkok 10210, Thailand
| | - Natcha Chyerochana
- Research Laboratory of Biotechnology, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Bangkok 10210, Thailand
| | - Tharindu Pollwatta Gallage
- Program in Environmental Toxicology, Chulabhorn Graduate Institute, Chulabhorn Royal Academy, Bangkok 10210, Thailand
| | - Thitima Srathongneam
- Program in Applied Biological Sciences, Chulabhorn Graduate Institute, Chulabhorn Royal Academy, Bangkok 10210, Thailand
| | - Surapong Rattanakul
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok 10140, Thailand
| | - Siriwara Maneein
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok 10140, Thailand
| | - Chatsinee Surasen
- Water Resources and Environment Department, Metropolitan Waterworks Authority, Bangkok 10210, Thailand
| | - Somsak Passananon
- Line of Deputy Governor (Water Production), Metropolitan Waterworks Authority, Bangkok 10210, Thailand
| | - Skorn Mongkolsuk
- Research Laboratory of Biotechnology, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Bangkok 10210, Thailand; Center of Excellence on Environmental Health and Toxicology (EHT), OPS, MHESI, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Kwanrawee Sirikanchana
- Research Laboratory of Biotechnology, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Bangkok 10210, Thailand; Center of Excellence on Environmental Health and Toxicology (EHT), OPS, MHESI, Bangkok, Thailand.
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Abdool-Ghany AA, Sahwell PJ, Klaus J, Gidley ML, Sinigalliano CD, Solo-Gabriele HM. Fecal indicator bacteria levels at a marine beach before, during, and after the COVID-19 shutdown period and associations with decomposing seaweed and human presence. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 851:158349. [PMID: 36041612 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 08/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Studies are limited that evaluate seaweed as a source of bacteria to beach waters. The objective of the current study was to evaluate whether seaweed, along with humans and other animals, could be the cause of beach advisories due to elevated levels of enterococci. The monitoring period occurred a year prior to and through the COVID-19 beach shutdown period, which provided a unique opportunity to evaluate bacteria levels during prolonged periods without recreational activity. Samples of water, sediment, and seaweed were measured for enterococci by culture and qPCR, in addition to microbial source tracking by qPCR of fecal bacteria markers from humans, dogs, and birds. During periods of elevated enterococci levels in water, these analyses were supplemented by chemical source tracking of human-associated excretion markers (caffeine, sucralose, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and naproxen). Results show that enterococci with elevated levels of human fecal markers persist in the seaweed and sediment and are the likely contributor to elevated levels of bacteria to the nearshore waters. During the shutdown period the elevated levels of enterococci in the sediment were isolated to the seaweed stranding areas. During periods when the beaches were open, enterococci were distributed more uniformly in sediment across the supratidal and intertidal zones. It is hypothesized from this study that human foot traffic may be responsible for the spread of enterococci throughout these areas. Overall, this study found high levels of enterococci in decomposing seaweed supporting the hypothesis that decomposing seaweed provides an additional substrate for enterococci to grow.
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Affiliation(s)
- Afeefa A Abdool-Ghany
- Department of Chemical, Environmental, and Materials Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | - Peter J Sahwell
- Department of Chemical, Environmental, and Materials Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | - James Klaus
- Department of Marine Geosciences, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Miami, Key Biscayne, FL, USA
| | - Maribeth L Gidley
- University of Miami, Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies (CIMAS), Miami, FL, USA; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML), Miami, FL, USA
| | - Christopher D Sinigalliano
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML), Miami, FL, USA
| | - Helena M Solo-Gabriele
- Department of Chemical, Environmental, and Materials Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA.
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