scholarly journals Are the existing guidelines sufficient for the assessment of bathing water quality? The example of Polish lakes

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eugeniusz Pronin
Keyword(s):  
Cyanobacterial Blooms ◽  
World Health ◽  
Additional Parameter ◽  
Small Water ◽  
Bathing Water Directive ◽  
Bathing Water ◽  
Bathing Waters ◽  
Water Ecosystems ◽  
Visual Confirmation ◽  
Health Organization

AbstractThe safety of beachgoers and swimmers is determined by the presence or absence of microbial contaminants and cyanobacterial toxins in the water. This study compared the assessment of bathing waters according to the Bathing Water Directive, which is based on the concentration of fecal contaminants, with some modifications, and a new method based on the concentration of chlorophyll-a, which corresponds to the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines used for determining cyanobacterial density in the water posing threat to people health. The results obtained from the method based on chlorophyll-a concentration clearly showed that the number of bathing waters in Poland with sufficient and insufficient quality were higher in 2018 and 2019, compared to the method based on microbial contamination. The closing of bathing waters based only on the visual confirmation of cyanobacterial blooms might not be enough to prevent the threat to swimmers’ health. The multivariate analyses applied in this study seem to confirm that chlorophyll-a concentration with associated cyanobacterial density might serve as an additional parameter for assessing the quality of bathing waters, and in the case of small water reservoirs, might indirectly inform about the conditions and changes in water ecosystems.

scholarly journals Public health responses to toxic cyanobacterial blooms: perspectives from the 2016 Florida event

Water Policy ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 919-932 ◽  
Author(s):  
James S. Metcalf ◽  
Sandra Anne Banack ◽  
James T. Powell ◽  
Fiona J. M. Tymm ◽  
Susan J. Murch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Management Strategies ◽  
Cyanobacterial Bloom ◽  
Cyanobacterial Blooms ◽  
World Health ◽  
Lake Okeechobee ◽  
Recreational Water ◽  
State Of Emergency ◽  
Guideline Values ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
World Health Organization Guideline

Abstract In June 2016, massive cyanobacterial blooms occurred in the St. Lucie River in Florida, caused by nutrient and cyanobacterial-laden water releases from Lake Okeechobee. We independently collected and analyzed bloom material for cyanotoxin diversity and concentrations. The concentrations of microcystins, potent hepatotoxins, present in the bloom material greatly exceeded World Health Organization Guideline Values for drinking and recreational water. We also detected the neurotoxins anatoxin-a(S) and β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA). The Florida State Governor declared a state of emergency, but many affected aquatic recreational areas in St. Lucie County remained open during the bloom event without adequate hazard notification to citizens. During the bloom event, issues with preparedness, communication, sampling, analysis, closures and contingencies were observed. We suggest better ways that cyanobacterial bloom events can be predicted, managed, and mitigated in the future throughout the world. As similar problems with cyanobacterial bloom frequency and occurrence present worldwide, understanding governmental responses to the 2016 Florida incident can help in the development of effective mitigation and management strategies for future bloom events.

scholarly journals Noncompetitive Chromogenic Lateral-Flow Immunoassay for Simultaneous Detection of Microcystins and Nodularin

Biosensors ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 79 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sultana Akter ◽  
Teemu Kustila ◽  
Janne Leivo ◽  
Gangatharan Muralitharan ◽  
Markus Vehniäinen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Simultaneous Detection ◽  
Antibody Fragment ◽  
Water Quality Monitoring ◽  
Lateral Flow ◽  
Cyanobacterial Blooms ◽  
World Health ◽  
Lateral Flow Immunoassay ◽  
Guideline Value ◽  
Health Organization

Cyanobacterial blooms cause local and global health issues by contaminating surface waters. Microcystins and nodularins are cyclic cyanobacterial peptide toxins comprising numerous natural variants. Most of them are potent hepatotoxins, tumor promoters, and at least microcystin-LR is possibly carcinogenic. In drinking water, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended the provisional guideline value of 1 µg/L for microcystin-LR. For water used for recreational activity, the guidance values for microcystin concentration varies mostly between 4–25 µg/L in different countries. Current immunoassays or lateral flow strips for microcystin/nodularin are based on indirect competitive method, which are generally more prone to sample interference and sometimes hard to interpret compared to two-site immunoassays. Simple, sensitive, and easy to interpret user-friendly methods for first line screening of microcystin/nodularin near water sources are needed for assessment of water quality and safety. We describe the development of a two-site sandwich format lateral-flow assay for the rapid detection of microcystins and nodularin-R. A unique antibody fragment capable of broadly recognizing immunocomplexes consisting of a capture antibody bound to microcystins/nodularin-R was used to develop the simple lateral flow immunoassay. The assay can visually detect the major hepatotoxins (microcystin-LR, -dmLR, -RR, -dmRR, -YR, -LY, -LF -LW, and nodularin-R) at and below the concentration of 4 µg/L. The signal is directly proportional to the concentration of the respective toxin, and the use of alkaline phosphatase activity offers a cost efficient alternative by eliminating the need of toxin conjugates or other labeling system. The easy to interpret assay has the potential to serve as a microcystins/nodularin screening tool for those involved in water quality monitoring such as municipal authorities, researchers, as well as general public concerned of bathing water quality.

Bathing in the Rain - The Use of Mathematical Models for Storm Water Management to Achieve Bathing Water Quality (The Fylde Coast-NW England)

1992 ◽  
Vol 25 (12) ◽  
pp. 59-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. C. Head ◽  
D. H. Crawshaw ◽  
P. Dempsey ◽  
C. J. Hutchings
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Mathematical Models ◽  
Storm Water ◽  
Integrated Modelling ◽  
System Modelling ◽  
Storm Water Management ◽  
Sewerage System ◽  
Bathing Water Directive ◽  
Bathing Water ◽  
Bathing Waters

One of the major problems in trying to design wastewater treatment schemes to protect bathing water for coastal communities with combined sewerage systems, is to ensure that discharges of storm water do not prejudice compliance with the requirements of the EC Bathing Water Directive. In order to develop an appropriate storm water management strategy for the Fylde coast it was necessary to integrate a number of mathematical models simulating the hydraulic behaviour of the sewerage system and the dispersion of discharges in the receiving waters. From the sewerage system modelling it was apparent that frequent discharges of storm water to the bathing waters could only be avoided by the provision of considerable additional storage in the system. By means of a suitably calibrated simplified sewer model it was possible to investigate the volumes of storm water generated by a 15 year record of local rainfall when different amounts of extra storage and different pumping regimes were employed. The results from these investigations were used to determine the probable concentrations of faecal bacteria in the coastal waters for each of the 15 bathing seasons and determine the percentage of time for which faecal coliform concentrations exceeded the Bathing Water directive standards for the model grid cells representing the identified bathing waters. As a result of the extensive integrated modelling programme for the Fylde coast it has been possible to design a base flow and storm water management system which should maximize the flow passed forward for treatment whilst also ensuring that there is just sufficient storage to ensure protection of the towns from flooding and the compliance of the beaches with the Bathing Water Directive standards.

Methodology to elaborate the bathing water profile on urban beaches, according to the requirements of the European Directive 2006/7/EC: the case of Santander beaches (Spain)

2013 ◽  
Vol 68 (5) ◽  
pp. 1037-1047 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iago López ◽  
César Álvarez ◽  
José L. Gil ◽  
José A. Revilla
Keyword(s):  
Aquatic Environment ◽  
Quality Monitoring ◽  
Pumping System ◽  
Bathing Water Directive ◽  
Bathing Water ◽  
Bathing Waters ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Reaction Processes ◽  
Water Profile ◽  
Selection Of

The approval of the current Bathing Water Directive (Directive 2006/7/EC) set the necessity to define the bathing water profile. The goals established in the definition of the profile are: (i) to know the processes that determine the concentration of bacteriological indicators in the aquatic environment, (ii) to obtain relationships between the cause of pollution and its effects, and (iii) to evaluate the fulfilment of the Directive and to set the Quality Monitoring and Assessment Program, according to the bacteriological characteristics of the bathing water. In this paper an approach to elaborate the bathing water profile and its application to several bathing waters located in Santander municipality (North Spain) is shown. The methodology involves the assessment of advection, diffusion and reaction processes of bacteriological organisms in the aquatic environment by using mathematical models and the selection of an indicator to evaluate the probability to exceed the bacteriological concentrations established in Directive 2006/7/EC, which is useful for the ‘source apportionment’ assessment. In the definition of the bathing water profile we have considered the sanitation system operating under normal conditions, which includes storm water overflows, uncontrolled discharges and the discharge produced when the pumping system of the wastewater breaks. Finally, according to the bacteriological characteristics of the bathing water it is necessary to develop the Quality Monitoring and Assessment, which has been done taking into account the requirements established in Directive 2006/7/EC and the uncertainties detected in such a method regarding the number of samples to be considered.

scholarly journals Temporal and spatial variability of cyanobacterial toxins microcystins in three interconnected freshwater reservoirs

2010 ◽  
Vol 75 (9) ◽  
pp. 1303-1312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luděk Bláha ◽  
Lucie Bláhová ◽  
Jiří Kohoutek ◽  
Ondřej Adamovský ◽  
Pavel Babica ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dry Weight ◽  
Cyanobacterial Blooms ◽  
World Health ◽  
Cyanobacterial Toxins ◽  
Toxic Cyanobacteria ◽  
Guideline Value ◽  
High Concentrations ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Reported Data ◽  
Natural Dynamics

In spite of substantial research on health and the ecological risks associated with cyanobacterial toxins in the past decades, the understanding of the natural dynamics and variability of toxic cyanobacterial blooms is still limited. Herein, the results of long term monitoring 1998-1999 / 2001-2008 of three reservoirs (V?r, Brno and Nov? Ml?ny), where toxic blooms develop annually, are reported. These three reservoirs provide a unique model because they are interconnected by the Svratka River, which allows possible transfer of phytoplankton as well as toxins from one reservoir to another. The frequency of the occurrence and dominance of the major cyanobacterial taxa Microcystis aeruginosa did not change during the investigated period but substantial variability was observed in the composition of other phytoplankton. Although absolute concentrations of the studied toxins (microcystins) differed among the reservoirs, there were apparent parallel trends. For example, during certain years, the microcystin concentrations were systematically elevated in all three studied reservoirs. Furthermore, the concentration profiles in the three sites were also correlated (parallel trends) within individual seasons based on monthly sampling. Microcystin-LR, a variant for which the World Health Organization has recommended a guideline value, formed only about 30-50% of the total microcystins. This is of importance, especially in the V?r reservoir that serves as a drinking water supply. Maxima in the cell-bound microcystins (intracellular; expressed per dry weight biomass) generally preceded the maxima of total microcystins (expressed per volume of water sample). Overall, the maximum concentration in the biomass (all three reservoirs, period 1993-2005) was 6.1 mg g-1 dry weight and the median values were in the range 0.065-2.3 mg g-1 dry weight. These are generally high concentrations in comparison with both Czech Republic and worldwide reported data. The present data revealed substantial variability of both toxic cyanobacteria and their peptide toxins that should be reflected by detailed monitoring programs.

Fylde Coast Bathing Water Improvements – Storm Water Management for Compliance with Bathing Water Directive

1990 ◽  
Vol 22 (10-11) ◽  
pp. 223-230
Author(s):  
P. C. Head ◽  
D. H. Crawshaw ◽  
S. K. Rasaratnam
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Storm Water ◽  
Dispersion Modelling ◽  
Flow Measurements ◽  
Rainfall Events ◽  
Storm Water Management ◽  
Bathing Water Directive ◽  
Bathing Water ◽  
Bathing Waters ◽  
Receiving Waters

As part of the investigations to determine the most appropriate scheme to bring the Fylde Coast bathing waters up to the quality required by the EC Bathing Water Directive, mathematical models have been used to examine the hydraulic behaviour of the sewerage system and the subsequent dispersion of effluent in the receiving waters. The discharge characteristics of the existing sewerage systems were examined by means of an extensive WASSP model, validated by means of flow measurements gathered from critical points of the sewer network. This model was then used, in conjunction with a time series rainfall record for the area, to investigate the effect of the intensity and duration of rainfall events on the volume of storm sewage to be discharged. Because the area is drained by a combined system, the management of storm water is of utmost importance and the output of the WASSP model was used to determine the input to the coastal dispersion model for rainfall events. A preliminary examination of the possible sites for sewage treatment works and sea outfalls, for sewage and storm water, suggested four possible schemes involving either inland treatment, marine treatment or a combination of the two. All options required the discharge of storm water to the sea. Extensive dispersion modelling was carried out to examine the probable effects of various storm-water management strategies on bacterial concentrations in the receiving waters. From this it was apparent that storage of storm flows, with controlled discharge, at the state of tide when environmental impact would be minimal, was required to achieve compliance with the provisions of the Directive. By integrating the WASSP modelling of various base-flow and storm-water storage options with dispersion modelling, it was possible to establish appropriate design criteria.

scholarly journals A Summer of Cyanobacterial Blooms in Belgian Waterbodies: Microcystin Quantification and Molecular Characterizations

Toxins ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 61
Author(s):  
Wannes Hugo R. Van Hassel ◽  
Mirjana Andjelkovic ◽  
Benoit Durieu ◽  
Viviana Almanza Marroquin ◽  
Julien Masquelier ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Samples ◽  
Direct Sequencing ◽  
Amplicon Sequencing ◽  
Cyanobacterial Blooms ◽  
World Health ◽  
Limit Of Quantification ◽  
Guideline Value ◽  
16S Rna ◽  
Mcye Gene ◽  
Health Organization

In the context of increasing occurrences of toxic cyanobacterial blooms worldwide, their monitoring in Belgium is currently performed by regional environmental agencies (in two of three regions) using different protocols and is restricted to some selected recreational ponds and lakes. Therefore, a global assessment based on the comparison of existing datasets is not possible. For this study, 79 water samples from a monitoring of five lakes in Wallonia and occasional blooms in Flanders and Brussels, including a canal, were analyzed. A Liquid Chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method allowed to detect and quantify eight microcystin congeners. The mcyE gene was detected using PCR, while dominant cyanobacterial species were identified using 16S RNA amplification and direct sequencing. The cyanobacterial diversity for two water samples was characterized with amplicon sequencing. Microcystins were detected above limit of quantification (LOQ) in 68 water samples, and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended guideline value for microcystins in recreational water (24 µg L−1) was surpassed in 18 samples. The microcystin concentrations ranged from 0.11 µg L−1 to 2798.81 µg L−1 total microcystin. For 45 samples, the dominance of the genera Microcystis sp., Dolichospermum sp., Aphanizomenon sp., Cyanobium/Synechococcus sp., Planktothrix sp., Romeria sp., Cyanodictyon sp., and Phormidium sp. was shown. Moreover, the mcyE gene was detected in 75.71% of all the water samples.

scholarly journals Spatial distribution of PCDDs, PCDFs and dl-PCBs along the cascade of urban reservoirs

2012 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 614-630 ◽  
Author(s):  
Magdalena Urbaniak ◽  
Marek Zieliński ◽  
Zbigniew Kaczkowski ◽  
Maciej Zalewski
Keyword(s):  
Total Concentration ◽  
Sediment Traps ◽  
Chemical Processes ◽  
World Health ◽  
Urban Water ◽  
River Ecosystem ◽  
River Continuum ◽  
Continuum Concept ◽  
Water Ecosystems ◽  
Health Organization

The river environment is a highly complex system with a variety of processes continuously changing along its continuum (River Continuum Concept). Therefore identification of the threats that result from different elements of the river ecosystem is an intricate task, mainly because of the transportation and biological, geological and chemical processes occurring in such a system. The overall objective of the presented study was to examine the concentration and pattern of polychlorinated dibenzo-para-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs) in the five urban, cascade reservoirs. The obtained data demonstrated an increasing total concentration of toxic PCDDs/PCDFs and dl-PCBs along the studied reservoirs starting from 266 ng/kg d.w. in the first pond up to 11,400 ng/kg d.w. in the last pond, wherein the highest World Health Organization – Toxic Equivalent (WHO-TEQ) concentration (18.9 ng TEQ/kg d.w.) was also recorded. The exception from this rule, with the lowest total and WHO-TEQ concentrations (182 ng/kg d.w. and 1.31 ng TEQ/kg d.w., respectively) was the middle newly constructed III reservoir, equipped with the sediment traps and sand separators at the stormwater outlets and ecotone zones around its catchment for enhancing the purification of inflowing stormwater. This situation may indicate the importance of such solutions for the reduction of PCDDs, PCDFs and dl-PCBs in the urban water ecosystems.

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