Evaluation of indicators of fecal contamination in Groundwater

Atherholt, Thomas B.; Feerst, Eric; Hovendon, Bruce; Kwak, Jae; Rosen, Joseph D.

doi:10.1002/j.1551-8833.2003.tb10479.x

Cited by 20 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…Therefore, viral contamination of recreational coastal water is of particular importance and is a rising public health concern. Fϩ coliphage was recently proposed by the U.S. EPA as a surrogate for human viral contamination in groundwater because some groups of Fϩ coliphage resemble human polioviruses and other enteric viruses in terms of survival and morphology (1)(2)(3)22). Fϩ coliphage are most prevalent in human sewage but may not be present in individual human feces.…”

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confidence: 99%

Seasonal Detection of Human Viruses and Coliphage in Newport Bay, California

Jiang

Jian-xin

2007

Appl Environ Microbiol

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Recent studies have shown that the fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) currently used to indicate water quality in the coastal environment may be inadequate to reflect human viral contamination. Coliphage was suggested as a better indicator of human viral pollution and was proposed by the U.S. EPA as an alternative indicator for fecal pollution in groundwater. In this study, we investigated the occurrence and distribution of FIB, F؉ coliphage, and PCRdetectable human adenovirus and enterovirus for an entire year at 15 locations around the Newport Bay watershed, an important southern California estuary for water recreation and an ecological reserve. Peak concentrations and prevalences of FIB and F؉ coliphage were associated with winter storms (wet weather). Human adenoviruses and enteroviruses, however, were detected by PCR in ϳ5% of samples collected in the summer (dry weather) but only once in wet weather. These results demonstrated that FIB and coliphage have similar seasonal and freshwater-tosaltwater distribution patterns, while the detection of human viruses depends on a distribution pattern that is the opposite of that of FIB and coliphage. This research suggested that coliphage and FIB share similar environmental sources, while sources of human viruses in Newport Bay are perhaps different.Coastal recreational water quality standards in California and throughout most of the world are based on the concentration of coliforms or Enterococcus spp., known as fecal indicator bacteria (FIB). However, the adequacy of current water quality standards to indicate the presence of human viral pathogens is still questionable. For example, Marino et al. (23) conducted a study of two Mediterranean bathing beaches, using WHO/UNEP and European Community bathing water directives as the microbial water quality guidelines. They concluded that neither set of guidelines was successful for protecting the public from health hazards related to fecal contamination of bathing water (23).

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confidence: 99%

Seasonal Detection of Human Viruses and Coliphage in Newport Bay, California

Jiang

Jian-xin

2007

Appl Environ Microbiol

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“…These concentrations indicated degraded groundwater quality. The existence of both FC and FS provided strong evidence of fecal contamination (Atherholt et al, 2003). The presence of indicators in all four sampling seasons denoted frequent, if not continuous, fecal contamination in the ESJ watershed.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 89%

“…One of the difficulties in tackling this problem is the fact that contamination is likely to come from various possible point and nonpoint sources (Mahler et al, 2000), thus obscuring its origins. It is important to detect fecal contamination in groundwater, especially if there are no pre-consumption water treatment systems (Atherholt et al, 2003). This is the case in some rural dryland areas of Chile where farmers obtain small amounts of water from private wells and face serious water supply problems for both human consumption and agricultural activities.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fecal Contamination of Groundwater in a Small Rural Dryland Watershed in Central Chile

Valenzuela¹,

Lagos²,

Claret

et al. 2009

Chilean J. Agric. Res.

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Research on microbiological groundwater quality was conducted in Chile in a rural watershed that has almost no other water source. Forty-two wells were randomly selected and levels of indicator bacteria -total coliforms (TC), fecal coliforms (FC), and fecal streptococci (FS) -were repeatedly measured during the four seasons of 2005. The aim of this study was to characterize microbiological groundwater quality, relate indicator levels to certain watershed features and management characteristics which are likely to affect water quality. The dynamics of seasonal temporal contamination was determined with statistical analyses of indicator organism concentrations. Nonparametric tests were used to analyze relationships between bacterial indicators in well water and other variables. TC, FC, and FS were found in all samples indicating the wells had been contaminated with human and animal fecal material. The frequency distribution of microorganisms fitted a logistic distribution. The concentrations appeared to be temporal and levels varied between seasons with higher concentrations in winter. The cause of contamination could be linked to the easy access of domestic animals to the wells and to the permeable well casing material. Local precipitation runoff directly influenced the bacterial concentrations found in the wells.

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“…Total coliform counts give a general indication of the sanitary condition of a water supply. Total coliforms include bacteria that are found in the soil and in water that has been influenced by surface water, and in human or animal waste (Atherholt et al, 2003). Fecal coliforms are the group of the total coliforms that are considered to be present specifically in the gut and feces of warmblooded animals (Crysup and Mott, 2001).…”

Section: Microbiological Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The main nickel source is pentlandite (Atherholt et al, 2003). Nickel is a dietary requirement for a number of organisms, therefore it might be of significance to humans (MacCutcheon et al, 1983).…”

Section: Trace Metals Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Microbiological and physicochemical assessments of groundwater quality at Punjab, Pakistan

Hassan¹,

Nawaz²

2014

Afr. J. Microbiol. Res.

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The assessment of groundwater is essential for the estimation of suitability of water for safe use. An attempt has been made to study the groundwater at the district level of Punjab, Pakistan. These samples were analyzed for various water quality parameters like pH, color, odor, conductance, total suspended solids, trace metals (Fe, cu, B, Ba, Al, Cr, Cd, Ni, Mn and Se), ionic concentration (HCO 3 , CO 3 , Cl, SO 4 , Na, K, Ca, Mg, NO 3 , NO 2 , NH 4 , F, PO 4 and CN) and for microbiological enumeration (total viable count, total and fecal coliforms Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp. and Pseudomonas spp.). The data was analyzed with WHO guidelines/ recommendations. The results of physical analysis indicated that all samples are safe except the groundwater of Kasur and Khanewal District. About 66.67% samples are out of total suspended solids (TSS) limit. Microbiologically, only six groundwater of Punjab districts are found potable according to WHO limits. In the trace metals analysis, highest level of iron was detected in Jhang while the groundwater of three districts were not potable due to high level of boron and nickel but the groundwater of all districts was found safe with respect to Ba, Al and Cr. As far as ionic concentration is concerned, 11 districts were found not to be within WHO limit in the case of bicarbonates, seven in phosphates, five in floride, and eight in calcium and potassium. Only 10 districts fall within the limit of chlorine and all samples showed satisfactory results in the case of CN, CO 3 , NO 2 , NO 3 , Mg, SO 4 and NH 4.

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Evaluation of indicators of fecal contamination in Groundwater

Cited by 20 publications

References 25 publications

Seasonal Detection of Human Viruses and Coliphage in Newport Bay, California

Seasonal Detection of Human Viruses and Coliphage in Newport Bay, California

Fecal Contamination of Groundwater in a Small Rural Dryland Watershed in Central Chile

Microbiological and physicochemical assessments of groundwater quality at Punjab, Pakistan

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