faecal pollution
Recently Published Documents


TOTAL DOCUMENTS

179
(FIVE YEARS 24)

H-INDEX

32
(FIVE YEARS 3)

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
ADEWALE OLUWASOGO OLALEMI ◽  
OLUWABUSAYOMI MARY OLUYEMI ◽  
MICHAEL TOSIN BAYODE

Abstract Background This study was carried out to monitor the levels of faecal pollution markers in catfish (Clarias gariepinus) and their growing waters in selected earthen and concrete ponds. Water and catfish samples were collected weekly in the months of February, March, April, May, June and July, 2019. The concentrations of enteric bacteria in the water and catfish samples were determined using membrane filtration and pour plate methods, respectively. The rate of bioaccumulation of faecal indicator bacteria was obtained by dividing the log concentration of each organism in catfish by the corresponding log concentration in the growing waters. Result The concentration of faecal coliforms in catfish samples from concrete and earthen ponds ranged from 1.41 to 2.28 log10 CFU/100 ml and 1.3 to 2.47 log10 CFU/100 ml respectively and in growing waters from the concrete and earthen ponds; 1.43 to 2.41 log10 CFU/100 ml and 1.50 to 2.80 log10 CFU/100 ml respectively. Faecal coliforms exhibited positive relationships with alkalinity in water samples from the earthen (r = 0.61) and concrete ponds (r = 0.62). Salmonella and faecal coliforms had the highest and least bioaccumulation in catfish raised in earthen pond, respectively, whereas Salmonella and enterococci had the highest and least bioaccumulation in catfish raised in concrete pond, respectively. Faecal coliforms and E. coli had the highest and least counts in water samples from the earthen pond during the dry and wet months, Salmonella and E. coli had the highest and least counts in water samples from the concrete pond during the dry and wet months. Conclusion There were high levels of bacterial faecal pollution markers in water and C. gariepinus from the earthen and concrete ponds. Physicochemical characteristics of the water and seasonality played major roles in the rate of bioaccumulation of the faecal pollution markers in C. gariepinus raised in the earthen and concrete ponds.


Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (22) ◽  
pp. 3192
Author(s):  
Andrew S. Ball ◽  
Esmaeil Shahsavari ◽  
Leadin S. Khudur ◽  
Arturo Aburto-Medina ◽  
David J. Smith

Relatively high E. coli and Faecal Streptococci (FS) numbers have been reported in the waters surrounding Blakeney Point, East Anglia, UK, an area containing significant shellfishery industries including mussels and cockles, despite the implementation of development works aimed at reducing residual contamination problems. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of using bacterial analyses and sterol profiling to assess the current levels and source of faecal pollution at Blakeney Point. No evidence of significant human faecal contamination of water in and around Blakeney Point could be found using either traditional microbiological analyses or sterol profile analysis. The presence of significant quantities of sitosterol, however, suggests that faecal contamination of water from birds does occur but at the concentration detected would not affect water quality. Analysis of cockles and mussels taken from the area show that negligible levels of coprostanol were present, confirming that faecal pollution was not causing any contamination issues. Apart from cholesterol, brassicasterol, an algal biomarker, as expected was dominant in shellfish flesh. The results confirm that current water treatment processes are successful in ensuring water quality at Blakeney Point and that a combination of microbial testing with sterol profile analysis confirmed that low microbial concentrations of faecal contaminants present in and around Blakeney Point most probably originate from migratory and/or resident bird species.


Author(s):  
Sophia D. Steinbacher ◽  
Domenico Savio ◽  
Katalin Demeter ◽  
Martin Karl ◽  
Wolfgang Kandler ◽  
...  

AbstractRecent developments in water resource monitoring have increased the demand for the reliable identification of faecal pollution sources, also defined as microbial (faecal) source tracking (MST). Standardized faecal indicator bacteria (SFIB) enumeration does not directly support MST, as SFIB occur in animal and human sources. The aim of this study was to rigorously evaluate the applicability of host-associated faecal genetic MST markers detected by quantitative PCR (qPCR) at representative Austrian water resources (ground-, surface-, raw and treated wastewater, n = 196 samples) with high importance for the water management sector. Groundwater covered a gradient of non- (i.e., deep wells) to surface influenced resources (i.e., karst and shallow wells). In addition, single faecal excreta from humans as well as representative livestock and wildlife species were collected to evaluate the faecal source-specificity and -sensitivity of the MST assays. Genetic MST marker resistance against UV irradiation was evaluated in on-site ground and wastewater treatment installations. Bacteroides-based human- (HF183II, BacHum), ruminant- (BacR), and pig-associated (Pig2Bac) MST marker qPCR quantification was performed in concert with cultivation of E. coli, intestinal enterococci, and Clostridium perfringens (SFIB diagnostics). The selected MST makers revealed high faecal source identification capacity for the Austrian water compartments and quantitatively reflected the selected faecal pollution gradient. The study also demonstrated that SFIB data can efficiently be combined with MST data to solve previously unanswered questions in water safety monitoring and management (e.g., support pollution source-targeted catchment protection, hazard assessment, and health risk management). Further research and development needs are discussed to exploit the full power of MST technology. In conclusion, this study illustrates the capacity of molecular faecal pollution diagnostics to revolutionize water quality testing in the decades to come.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alina Roxana Banciu ◽  
◽  
Stefania Gheorghe ◽  
Catalina Stoica ◽  
Irina Lucaciu ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Julia Derx ◽  
Jürgen Komma ◽  
Philipp Reiner ◽  
Julia Vierheilig ◽  
Domenico Savio ◽  
...  

AbstractThe alluvial backwater areas of the Danube are valuable ecological habitats containing important drinking water resources. Due to the river regulation and the construction of power plants, the river water levels and natural dynamics of the backwater areas continuously decline, threatening their typical characteristics. The aim of this study was to evaluate how an increased connectivity of the backwater branch located in a nature-protected riverine floodplain (enabled by diverting river water into the backwater system via a weir) affects the microbiological quality of groundwater resources. The defined quality criterion was that the diversion measures must not lead to an increased detection frequency of faecal indicators in groundwater. The microbiological water quality of the Danube, its backwater branch and the groundwater was analysed from 2010 to 2013. E. coli was selected as bacterial indicator for recent faecal pollution. C. perfringens (spores) was analysed as indicator for persistent faecal pollution and potentially occurring pathogenic protozoa. We simulated the microbial transport from the Danube and the backwater river into groundwater using a 3‑D unsaturated-saturated groundwater model coupled with 2‑D hydrodynamic flow simulations. Scenarios for no diversion measures were compared with scenarios for an additional discharge of 3, 20 and 80 m3/s from the Danube River into the backwater branch. While the additional discharge of 20 and 80 m3/s of Danube water into the floodplain strongly improved the ecological status according to ecological habitat models, the hydraulic transport simulations showed that this would result in a deterioration of the microbiological quality of groundwater resources. The presented approach shows how hydraulic transport modelling and microbiological analyses can be combined to support decision-making.


Author(s):  
Serhat A. Yasar ◽  
Toby J.T. Mills ◽  
Zehra I. Uluturk ◽  
Jason M.S. Ruszczyk ◽  
Rebecca J. LeBard ◽  
...  

Abstract The contamination of water catchments by nonpoint source faecal pollution is a major issue affecting the microbial quality of receiving waters and is associated with the occurrence of a range of enteric illnesses in humans. The potential sources of faecal pollution in surface waters are diverse, including urban sewage leaks, surface runoff and wildlife contamination originating from a range of hosts. The major contributing hosts require identification to allow targeted management of this public health concern. In this study, two high-performing Microbial Source Tracking (MST) assays, HF183/Bac242 and BacCan-UCDmodif, were used for their ability to detect host-specific Bacteroides 16Sr RNA markers for faecal pollution in a 12-month study on an urban coastal lagoon in Sydney, Australia. The lagoon was found to contain year-round high numbers of human and canine faecal markers, as well as faecal indicator bacteria counts, suggesting considerable human and animal faecal pollution. The high sensitivity and specificity of the HF183/Bac242 and BacCan-UCDmodif assays, together with the manageable levels of PCR inhibition and high level DNA extraction efficiency obtained from lagoon water samples make these markers candidates for inclusion in an MST ‘toolbox’ for investigating host origins of faecal pollution in urban surface waters.


2021 ◽  
Vol 416 ◽  
pp. 125718
Author(s):  
Thunchanok Thongsamer ◽  
Rattikan Neamchan ◽  
Adrian Blackburn ◽  
Kishor Acharya ◽  
Sawannee Sutheeworapong ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liam J. Reynolds ◽  
Niamh A. Martin ◽  
Laura Sala-Comorera ◽  
Kevin Callanan ◽  
Padraig Doyle ◽  
...  

Small urban streams discharging in the proximity of bathing waters may significantly contribute to the deterioration of water quality, yet their impact may be overlooked. This study focuses on the Elm Park stream in the city of Dublin that is subject to faecal contamination by unidentified sources. The aim of the study was to identify a minimum number of “sentinel” sampling stations in an urban catchment that would provide the maximum amount of information regarding faecal pollution in the catchment. Thus, high-resolution sampling within the catchment was carried out over the course of 1 year at 11 stations. Faecal indicator bacteria were enumerated and microbial source tracking (MST) was employed to evaluate human pollution. In addition, ammonium, total oxidised nitrogen, and phosphorus levels were monitored to determine if these correlated with faecal indicator and the HF183 MST marker. In addition, the effect of severe weather events on water quality was assessed using automated sampling at one of the identified “sentinel” stations during baseflow and high flow conditions over a 24-h period. Our results show that this urban stream is at times highly contaminated by point source faecal pollution and that human faecal pollution is pervasive in the catchment. Correlations between ammonium concentrations and faecal indicator bacteria (FIB) as well as the human MST marker were observed during the study. Cluster analysis identified four “sentinel” stations that provide sufficient information on faecal pollution in the stream, thus reducing the geographical complexity of the catchment. Furthermore, ammonium levels strongly correlated with FIB and the human HF183 MST marker under high flow conditions at key “sentinel” stations. This work demonstrates the effectiveness of pairing MST, faecal indicators, and ammonium monitoring to identify “sentinel” stations that could be more rapidly assessed using real-time ammonium readouts to assess remediation efforts.


Author(s):  
Douglas Mushi ◽  
Geda Kebede ◽  
Rita B. Linke ◽  
Aschalew Lakew ◽  
Daniel S. Hayes ◽  
...  

Abstract Tropical communities in the developing world depend heavily on riverine systems for their socioeconomic development. However, these resources are poorly protected from diffuse pollution, and there is a lack of quantitative information regarding the microbial pollution characteristics of riverine water, despite frequently reported gastrointestinal diseases. The aim of our study was to apply faecal taxation (i.e., faecal pellet counting in representative test areas to estimate the potential availability of diffuse pollution sources) in combination with a detailed microbiological faecal pollution analysis in a riverine environment to elucidate the importance of diffuse pollution. To realize this approach, ambient faecal pellets, a multiparametric data set for standard faecal indicator bacteria (SFIB), including Escherichia coli, Clostridium perfringens spores and enterococci from catchment soil and river water, and a number of riverine water physicochemical variables were analysed during a one-year cycle. We demonstrated that the abundance of ambient faecal pellets, which were consistently counted at reference sites in the catchment, was associated with faecal pollution in the river water. Water SFIB, dissolved oxygen, nutrients, conductivity and total suspended solids were strongly linked with the abundance of ambient faecal pellets in the river catchment, as demonstrated by principal component analysis (PCA). Elevated concentrations of SFIB in the riverine water in the absence of rainfall also suggested the direct input of faecal bacteria into the riverine water by livestock (e.g., during watering) and humans (e.g., during bathing). Statistical analyses further revealed that the microbiological water quality of the investigated riverine water was not influenced by SFIB potentially occurring in the soil. This study demonstrates the importance of diffuse faecal pollution sources as major drivers of the microbiological quality of riverine water in the Ethiopian Highlands. In addition, a new successfully applied integrated approach could be very useful for developing predictive models, which would aid in forecasting riverine microbiological quality in tropical developing countries.


2021 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 21-34
Author(s):  
C.O Sekegor

Water samples from various sites of the Ikpoba River, Benin City, were bacteriologically analysed to determine bacterial indicators of faecal pollution and heterotrophic bacterial concentration. Sampling points 1 was the point of drainage discharge from the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, 2 was at the Bridge at Upper Mission Road, 3 was the point of effluent discharge from Oredo Local Government Area Abbatoir, 4 was at the Bridge along Benin-Agbor Road and 5 was the point of effluent discharge from Guinness Nigeria PLC. Faecal coliform count was generally high in all sample sites with the point of discharge of effluent from the Abbatoir showing the highest mean count of 1.51 × 107 cfu/ml; and the Bridge at Upper Mission Road had the lowest mean count of 1.20 × 107 cfu/ml. Faecal streptococci count was highest at the point of discharge of effluent from Guinness Nigeria PLC at 8.21 × 107 cfu/ml. while the Bridge at Upper Mission Road had the lowest faecal streptococcus count of 5.83 × 106 cfu/ml. Antibiotic Resistance Patterns of faecal streptococci isolates on day 1 were observed to be more susceptible to the battery of antibiotics than faecal streptococci isolates on days 2 and 3. The results of the ratio of faecal coliform to faecal streptococci and the antibiotic resistance pattern on faecal streptococci showed that faecal pollution of the Ikpoba River has both human and animal origin. There are undoubted risks to human health from surface water polluted with animal faeces, nevertheless, it is human faeces that represent a much greater risk and thus constant investigations should be carried out by environment monitoring agencies to evaluate the pollution status of the river and residents around the river should administer filtration techniques before domestic use. Keywords: faecal pollution, faecal streptococci, antibiotic resistance patterns


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document