scholarly journals Foreshore Sand as a Source of Escherichia coli in Nearshore Water of a Lake Michigan Beach

2003 ◽  
Vol 69 (9) ◽  
pp. 5555-5562 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard L. Whitman ◽  
Meredith B. Nevers
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Lake Water ◽  
Lake Michigan ◽  
Beach Sand ◽  
Intensive Study ◽  
Concentration Gradients ◽  
Lake Water Quality ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Demographic Patterns ◽  
Hydrometeorological Conditions

ABSTRACT Swimming advisories due to excessive Escherichia coli concentrations are common at 63rd Street Beach, Chicago, Ill. An intensive study was undertaken to characterize the source and fate of E. coli in beach water and sand at the beach. From April through September 2000, water and sand samples were collected daily or twice daily at two depths on three consecutive days per week (water samples, n = 1,747; sand samples, n = 858); hydrometeorological conditions and bird and bather distributions were also recorded. E. coli concentrations in sand and water were significantly correlated, with the highest concentration being found in foreshore sand, followed by those in submerged sediment and water of increasing depth. Gull contributions to E. coli densities in sand and water were most apparent on the day following gull activity in a given area. E. coli recolonized newly placed foreshore sand within 2 weeks. Analysis of variance, correlation, cluster analyses, concentration gradients, temporal-spatial distribution, demographic patterns, and DNA fingerprinting suggest that E. coli may be able to sustain population density in temperate beach sand during summer months without external inputs. This research presents evidence that foreshore beach sand (i) plays a major role in bacterial lake water quality, (ii) is an important non-point source of E. coli to lake water rather than a net sink, (iii) may be environmentally, and perhaps hygienically, problematic, and (iv) is possibly capable of supporting an autochthonous, high density of indicator bacteria for sustained periods, independent of lake, human, or animal input.

scholarly journals Occurrence of Escherichia coli and Enterococci in Cladophora (Chlorophyta) in Nearshore Water and Beach Sand of Lake Michigan

2003 ◽  
Vol 69 (8) ◽  
pp. 4714-4719 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard L. Whitman ◽  
Dawn A. Shively ◽  
Heather Pawlik ◽  
Meredith B. Nevers ◽  
Muruleedhara N. Byappanahalli
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Lake Michigan ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Point Sources ◽  
Indicator Bacteria ◽  
Beach Sand ◽  
Cladophora Glomerata ◽  
Strongly Correlated ◽  
Fecal Indicator ◽  
E Coli

ABSTRACT Each summer, the nuisance green alga Cladophora (mostly Cladophora glomerata) amasses along Lake Michigan beaches, creating nearshore anoxia and unsightly, malodorous mats that can attract problem animals and detract from visitor enjoyment. Traditionally, elevated counts of Escherichia coli are presumed to indicate the presence of sewage, mostly derived from nearby point sources. The relationship between fecal indicator bacteria and Cladophora remains essentially unstudied. This investigation describes the local and regional density of Escherichia coli and enterococci in Cladophora mats along beaches in the four states (Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan) bordering Lake Michigan. Samples of Cladophora strands collected from 10 beaches (n = 41) were assayed for concentrations of E. coli and enterococci during the summer of 2002. Both E. coli and enterococci were ubiquitous (up to 97% occurrence), with overall log mean densities (± standard errors) of 5.3 (± 4.8) and 4.8 (± 4.5) per g (dry weight). E. coli and enterococci were strongly correlated in southern Lake Michigan beaches (P < 0.001, R 2 = 0.73, n = 17) but not in northern beaches (P = 0.892, n = 16). Both E. coli and enterococci survived for over 6 months in sun-dried Cladophora mats stored at 4°C; the residual bacteria in the dried alga readily grew upon rehydration. These findings suggest that Cladophora amassing along the beaches of Lake Michigan may be an important environmental source of indicator bacteria and call into question the reliability of E. coli and enterococci as indicators of water quality for freshwater recreational beaches.

scholarly journals Examination of the Watershed-Wide Distribution of Escherichia coli along Southern Lake Michigan: an Integrated Approach

2006 ◽  
Vol 72 (11) ◽  
pp. 7301-7310 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard L. Whitman ◽  
Meredith B. Nevers ◽  
Muruleedhara N. Byappanahalli
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Lake Michigan ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Wide Distribution ◽  
Beach Sand ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
Coastal Watershed ◽  
E Coli ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Beach Water

ABSTRACT Recent research has highlighted the occurrence of Escherichia coli in natural habitats not directly influenced by sewage inputs. Most studies on E. coli in recreational water typically focus on discernible sources (e.g., effluent discharge and runoff) and fall short of integrating riparian, nearshore, onshore, and outfall sources. An integrated “beachshed” approach that links E. coli inputs and interactions would be helpful to understand the difference between background loading and sewage pollution; to develop more accurate predictive models; and to understand the differences between potential, net, and apparent culturable E. coli. The objective of this study was to examine the interrelatedness of E. coli occurrence from various coastal watershed components along southern Lake Michigan. The study shows that once established in forest soil, E. coli can persist throughout the year, potentially acting as a continuous non-point source of E. coli to nearby streams. Year-round background stream loading of E. coli can influence beach water quality. E. coli is present in highly variable counts in beach sand to depths just below the water table and to distances at least 5 m inland from the shore, providing a large potential area of input to beach water. In summary, E. coli in the fluvial-lacustrine system may be stored in forest soils, sediments surrounding springs, bank seeps, stream margins and pools, foreshore sand, and surface groundwater. While rainfall events may increase E. coli counts in the foreshore sand and lake water, concentrations quickly decline to prerain concentrations. Onshore winds cause an increase in E. coli in shallow nearshore water, likely resulting from resuspension of E. coli-laden beach sand. When examining indicator bacteria source, flux, and context, the entire “beachshed” as a dynamic interacting system should be considered.

scholarly journals Selective survival of Escherichia coli phylotypes in freshwater beach sand

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalie A. Rumball ◽  
HannahRose C. Mayer ◽  
Sandra L. McLellan
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Lake Michigan ◽  
Fecal Pollution ◽  
Pollution Monitoring ◽  
Beach Sand ◽  
Environmental Drivers ◽  
Nutrient Inputs ◽  
Term Survival ◽  
E Coli

Escherichia coli is used as an indicator of fecal pollution at beaches despite evidence of long-term survival in sand. This work investigated the basis for survival of E. coli through field microcosm experiments and phylotypic characterization of more than >1400 E. coli isolated from sand, sewage, and gulls, enabling identification of long-surviving populations and environmental drivers of their persistence. Microcosms containing populations of E. coli from each source (n=176) were buried in the backshore of Lake Michigan for 45 & 96 days under several different nutrient treatments, including unaltered native sand, sterile autoclaved sand and baked nutrient depleted sand. Availability of carbon and nitrogen and competition with the indigenous community were major factors that influenced E. coli survival. E. coli Clermont phylotypes B1 and A were the most dominant phylotypes surviving seasonally (>6 weeks), regardless of source and nutrient treatment, whereas cryptic clade and D/E phylotypes survived over winter (>300 days). Autoclaved sand, presumably supplying nutrients through increased availability, promoted growth and the presence of the indigenous microbial community reduced this effect. Screening of 849 sand E. coli from four freshwater beaches demonstrated that B1, but also D/E, were the most common phylotypes recovered. Analysis by qPCR for the Gull2, Lachno3 and HB human markers demonstrated only 25% of the samples had evidence of gull waste and none of the samples had evidence of human waste. These findings suggest prevalence of E. coli in the sand could be attributed more to long term surviving populations than to new fecal pollution. IMPORTANCE Fecal pollution monitoring still relies upon the enumeration of E. coli, despite the fact that this organism can survive for prolonged periods and has been shown to be easily transported from sand into surrounding waters through waves and runoff, thus no longer represents recent fecal pollution events. Here, we experimentally demonstrate that regardless of host source, certain genetically distinct subgroups, or phylotypes, survive longer than others under conditions typical of Great Lakes beach sites. We found nutrients were a major driver of survival and could actually promote growth, and the presence of native microorganisms modulated these effects. These insights into the dynamics and drivers of survival will improve the interpretation of E. coli measurements at beaches and inform strategies that could focus on reducing nutrient inputs to beaches or maintaining a robust natural microbiome in beach sand.

scholarly journals Non-point source pollution: Determination of replication versus persistence of Escherichia coli in surface water and sediments with correlation of levels to readily measurable environmental parameters

2004 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 103-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Kinzelman ◽  
Sandra L. McLellan ◽  
Annette D. Daniels ◽  
Susan Cashin ◽  
Ajaib Singh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Water Quality ◽  
Point Source ◽  
Wave Height ◽  
Surface Waters ◽  
Lake Michigan ◽  
Recreational Water ◽  
Point Source Pollution ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Non Point Source Pollution

Racine, Wisconsin, located on Lake Michigan, experiences frequent recreational water quality advisories in the absence of any identifiable point source of pollution. This research examines the environmental distribution of Escherichia coli in conjunction with the assessment of additional parameters (rainfall, turbidity, wave height, wind direction, wind speed and algal presence) in order to determine the most probable factors that influence E. coli levels in surface waters. Densities of E. coli were highest in core samples taken from foreshore sands, often exceeding an order of magnitude greater than those collected from submerged sands and water. Simple regression and multivariate analyses conducted on supplementary environmental data indicate that the previous day's E. coli concentration in conjunction with wave height is significantly predictive for present-time E. coli concentration. Genetic fingerprinting using repetitive element anchored PCR and cellular fatty acid analysis were employed to assess the presence of clonal isolates which indicate replication from a common parent cell. There were relatively few occurrences of clonal patterns in isolates collected from water, foreshore and submerged sands, suggesting that accumulation of E. coli, rather than environmental replication, was occurring in this system. Non-point source pollution, namely transport of accumulated E. coli from foreshore sands to surface waters via wave action, was found to be a major contributor to poor recreational water quality at the Lake Michigan beaches involved in this study.

scholarly journals Solar and Temporal Effects on Escherichia coli Concentration at a Lake Michigan Swimming Beach

2004 ◽  
Vol 70 (7) ◽  
pp. 4276-4285 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard L. Whitman ◽  
Meredith B. Nevers ◽  
Ginger C. Korinek ◽  
Muruleedhara N. Byappanahalli
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Uv Radiation ◽  
Wave Height ◽  
Lake Level ◽  
Lake Michigan ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Day Length ◽  
E Coli ◽  
In Situ Experiments

ABSTRACT Studies on solar inactivation of Escherichia coli in freshwater and in situ have been limited. At 63rd St. Beach, Chicago, Ill., factors influencing the daily periodicity of culturable E. coli, particularly insolation, were examined. Water samples for E. coli analysis were collected twice daily between April and September 2000 three times a week along five transects in two depths of water. Hydrometeorological conditions were continuously logged: UV radiation, total insolation, wind speed and direction, wave height, and relative lake level. On 10 days, transects were sampled hourly from 0700 to 1500 h. The effect of sunlight on E. coli inactivation was evaluated with dark and transparent in situ mesocosms and ambient lake water. For the study, the number of E. coli samples collected (n) was 2,676. During sunny days, E. coli counts decreased exponentially with day length and exposure to insolation, but on cloudy days, E. coli inactivation was diminished; the E. coli decay rate was strongly influenced by initial concentration. In situ experiments confirmed that insolation primarily inactivated E. coli; UV radiation only marginally affected E. coli concentration. The relationship between insolation and E. coli density is complicated by relative lake level, wave height, and turbidity, all of which are often products of wind vector. Continuous importation and nighttime replenishment of E. coli were evident. These findings (i) suggest that solar inactivation is an important mechanism for natural reduction of indicator bacteria in large freshwater bodies and (ii) have implications for management strategies of nontidal waters and the use of E. coli as an indicator organism.

scholarly journals Assessment of water quality in the vicinity of Chini lake, Malaysia

2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 1037-1046
Author(s):  
Youssif Hussin Abdusalam ◽  
IM Sujaul ◽  
Md Abdul Karim ◽  
MG Salah ◽  
M Idris Ali ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Lake Water ◽  
Open Water ◽  
Total Coliform ◽  
Quality Parameters ◽  
Lake Water Quality ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Sanitation Systems ◽  
Domestic Effluent ◽  
Effects Of Land Use

Chini lake water is used as a source of water for domestic, industrial and agriculture. The study was carried out to assess the water quality of the lake and surrounding area. Ten sampling sites were selected representing the open water body in the lake. A total of 14 water quality parameters viz.. temperature, EC, TDS, DO, pH, turbidity. BOD, COD, TSS, PO4, SO4, NH4, NO3 and salinity were measured. The lowest WQI value 77 was recorded at site S4, respectively, which were found to be slightly polluted. Considering the NWQS, temperature 30.04°C, EC 31.42 μS/cm, TDS 19.03 mg/l, NO3 - 0.21 mg/l, SO4 - 0.84 mg/l, PO4 - 0.05 mg/l, TSS 12.03 mg/l and salinity 0.03 ppt are categorized under class I, while DO 6.15 mg/l, pH 6.73, turbidity 4.22 NTU, BOD 1.63 mg/l, COD 19.50 mg/l and NH4-N 0.20 mg/l the lake water quality are categorized under class II. Total coliform was 273, 412, 868, 267, 495, 406, 929, 953, 441 and 398 cfu/100 ml at all S1 - S10 sites, respectively. While E. coli was found 13, 7, 13, 5, 7, 5, 6, 106, 10 and 7 cfu/100 ml, respectively at all S1 - S10 sites. The highest number of both total coliform 953 cfu/100ml and E. coli 106 cfu/100ml were observed at site S8. The sources of coliforms and E. coli pollution were wastes from human and animals and domestic effluent, which might be due to lack of improper sanitation systems and effects of land use from surrounding agricultural area.

Escherichia coli and Enterococci Bacteria in Lake Michigan Beach Sand

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nabila Nafsin ◽  
Brett Bevers ◽  
Rebecca Schruender ◽  
Qian Liao ◽  
Jin Li
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Lake Michigan ◽  
Beach Sand

Monitoring of E. coli and Enterococci in Lake Michigan Beach Sand

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jin Li ◽  
Brett Bevers ◽  
Nabila Nafsin ◽  
Qian Liao
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Lake Michigan ◽  
Indicator Bacteria ◽  
Beach Sand ◽  
Most Probable Number ◽  
Probable Number ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Sampling Duration ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Mean Concentration

&lt;p&gt;Excessive fecal indicator bacteria concentration leads to swimming advisories that are very common to freshwater beaches. To evaluate the concentration and interaction of indicator bacteria in beach sand and water and to examine the factors that affect bacteria concentration, a study was undertaken at Bradford beach, Milwaukee county on the shore of Lake Michigan. In this research, results from monitoring of E. coli and Enterococci in sand and water from Lake Michigan beach were presented. Bacteria counts were obtained using the IDEXX Most Probable Number (MPN) method. An attempt was made to establish a direct ratio of bacteria counts between the two most common eluents used to detach bacteria from sand, i.e., deionized water (DI) and phosphate buffered saline (PBS). The beach sand bacteria count was analyzed using the EPA CANARY event detection software to identify the onset of periods of anomalous water quality. Analysis of beach sand from this study show that for E. coli, it may be possible to establish a relationship between the results generated using two eluents. Results from the model indicates that sand can be a better potential reservoir for indicator bacteria survival than water as a source. The results also show that CANARY may be useful as an early warning system for monitoring beach contamination and may help to identify any abnormal condition very quickly. Also, in this study, the factors that contributed to the high concentration of bacteria resulting in abnormal water quality events are examined which are the impact of Algae in beach water sample and the rainfall effect during the overall month of sampling duration. CANARY software can best indicate the impact of the presence of Algae on bacteria concentration. The analysis of rainfall effect on bacteria concentration was done using statistical software by determining the significance (p-value) between the seasonal mean concentration of E. coli and the mean concentration of E. coli during the sampling duration and from the analyses it is evaluated that rainfall does affect the bacteria concentration. Moreover, the correlation coefficient indicates greater impact of rainfall event on bacteria concentration relative to the presence of Algae level. Regression analysis was also done to estimate the best model that describes the relation between E. coli and water temperature resulting in weak negative linear relationship between the variables.&lt;/p&gt;

scholarly journals Detection of Genetic Markers of Fecal Indicator Bacteria in Lake Michigan and Determination of Their Relationship to Escherichia coli Densities Using Standard Microbiological Methods

2005 ◽  
Vol 71 (12) ◽  
pp. 8305-8313 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia A. Bower ◽  
Caitlin O. Scopel ◽  
Erika T. Jensen ◽  
Morgan M. Depas ◽  
Sandra L. McLellan
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Genetic Markers ◽  
Lake Michigan ◽  
Limit Of Detection ◽  
Sewage Treatment Plant ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Agricultural Runoff ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Microbiological Methods ◽  
Human Specific

ABSTRACT Lake Michigan surface waters impacted by fecal pollution were assessed to determine the occurrence of genetic markers for Bacteroides and Escherichia coli. Initial experiments with sewage treatment plant influent demonstrated that total Bacteroides spp. could be detected by PCR in a 25- to 125-fold-higher dilution series than E. coli and human-specific Bacteroides spp., which were both found in similar dilution ranges. The limit of detection for the human-specific genetic marker ranged from 0.2 CFU/100 ml to 82 CFU/100 ml culturable E. coli for four wastewater treatment plants in urban and rural areas. The spatial and temporal distributions of these markers were assessed following major rain events that introduced urban storm water, agricultural runoff, and sewage overflows into Lake Michigan. Bacteroides spp. were detected in all of these samples by PCR, including those with <1 CFU/100 ml E. coli. Human-specific Bacteroides spp. were detected as far as 2 km into Lake Michigan during sewage overflow events, with variable detection 1 to 9 days postoverflow, whereas the cow-specific Bacteroides spp. were detected in only highly contaminated samples near the river outflow. Lake Michigan beaches were also assessed throughout the summer season for the same markers. Bacteroides spp. were detected in all beach samples, including 28 of the 74 samples that did not exceed 235 CFU/100 ml of E. coli. Human-specific Bacteroides spp. were detected at three of the seven beaches; one of the sites demonstrating positive results was sampled during a reported sewage overflow, but E. coli levels were below 235 CFU/100 ml. This study demonstrates the usefulness of non-culture-based microbial-source tracking approaches and the prevalence of these genetic markers in the Great Lakes, including freshwater coastal beaches.

scholarly journals High-Throughput and Quantitative Procedure for Determining Sources of Escherichia coli in Waterways by Using Host-Specific DNA Marker Genes

2006 ◽  
Vol 73 (3) ◽  
pp. 890-896 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tao Yan ◽  
Matthew J. Hamilton ◽  
Michael J. Sadowsky
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Water Sample ◽  
High Throughput ◽  
Lake Water ◽  
Water Samples ◽  
Great Promise ◽  
Fecal Bacteria ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Gene Probes ◽  
Macroarray Hybridization

ABSTRACT Escherichia coli is currently used as an indicator of fecal pollution and to assess water quality. While several genotypic techniques have been used to determine potential sources of fecal bacteria impacting waterways and beaches, they do not allow for the rapid analysis of a large number of samples in a relatively short period of time. Here we report that gene probes identified by Hamilton and colleagues (M. J. Hamilton, T. Yan, and M. J. Sadowsky, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 72:4012-4019, 2006) were useful for the development of a high-throughput and quantitative macroarray hybridization system to determine numbers of E. coli bacteria originating from geese/ducks. The procedure we developed, using a QBot robot for picking and arraying of colonies, allowed us to simultaneously analyze up to 20,736 E. coli colonies from water samples, with minimal time and human input. Statistically significant results were obtained by analyzing 700 E. coli colonies per water sample, allowing for the analysis of approximately 30 sites per macroarray. Macroarray hybridization studies done on E. coli collected from water samples obtained from two urban Minnesota lakes and one rural South Carolina lake indicated that geese/ducks contributed up to 51% of the fecal bacteria in the urban lake water samples, and the level was below the detection limit in the rural lake water sample. This technique, coupled with the use of other host source-specific gene probes, holds great promise as a new quantitative microbial source tracking tool to rapidly determine the origins of E. coli in waterways and on beaches.

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