In situ persistence of indicator bacteria in streams polluted with acid mine drainage

Carlson-Gunnoe, Nancy E.; Law, Constance B.; Bissonnette, Gary K.

doi:10.1016/0043-1354(83)90052-0

Cited by 9 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…In light of the historic AMD impacts in both watersheds, historic and modern data from West Run and Deckers Creek monitoring was compiled, revealing a strong relationship between pH and E. coli concentration. This finding is consistent with observations documented in other watersheds impacted by AMD [2,5] and serves as a strong motivation for the further exploration of dynamics between mining impacts and accuracy of culture and enzyme coliform substrate test methods for detecting viable E. coli.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

“…Several past studies have documented that the presence of AMD impacts the survival of bacteria, leading to diminished detection or recovery of fecal indicator bacteria after exposure to AMD [2,[5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]. Passive co-treatment of AMD and sanitary sewage has even been explored, with inactivation of fecal indicator bacteria achieved through mixing of the two waste streams [11].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Assessing viability of Escherichia coli in mining-impacted surface waters

McDonald,

Cunningham,

Kerr

et al. 2024

PLOS Water

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Multiple threats to surface water quality, including both fecal pollution and acid mine drainage (AMD) are frequently coincident in mining regions, such as parts of the Appalachian region of the U.S. While it has been established that AMD can have toxic effects to fecal bacteria in surface waters, there is also evidence that AMD may induce a viable but non-culturable (VBNC) state, leaving fecal bacteria undetectable by common standard methods. This study aims to better understand the occurrence of VBNC Escherichia coli in mining-impacted waters (MIW) through three objectives: (1) assess the relationship between MIWs and concentrations of culturable fecal bacteria, (2) compare standard methods for quantification of E. coli in MIW, and (3) investigate whether MIW can induce a VBNC state in E. coli. An analysis of historic data from the Deckers Creek and West Run Watersheds of West Virginia revealed a moderate correlation between pH and E. coli abundance determined via culture and enzyme-based methods. In samples collected from sites within the two watersheds impacted by historic mining activities, the E. coli uidA gene was measured via quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and found to be significantly more abundant than E. coli concentrations measured via culture or enzyme substrate coliform test. However, this discrepancy between methods was greatest in samples with a low pH. Further, experiments in which an environmental strain of E. coli was dosed into samples of MIW diluted with saline at different concentrations confirmed that the culturability of E. coli significantly decreased with increasing MIW concentration, while the total number of intact cells, determined via "live/dead” staining and microscopy, remained high. This finding suggests that culture and enzyme methods may underestimate viable E. coli levels in AMD-impacted waters.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing viability of Escherichia coli in mining-impacted surface waters

McDonald,

Cunningham,

Kerr

et al. 2024

PLOS Water

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“…This delayed growth of E. coli could have been caused by sub-lethal damage done to cells exposed to metals in the column. Previous studies have documented greater AMD resistance by FS than by coliform bacteria (Hackney and Bissonnette, 1978;Carlson-Gunnoe et al, 1983;Keating et al, 1996). This suggests FS was able to thrive while continuously exposed to AMD in the column.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 51%

“…More recent studies have noted that exposure to AMD causes death or widespread structural damage to E. coli and that extended incubation periods in specialized enriched medium are necessary to repair surviving cells (Hackney and Bissonnette, 1978;Wortman and Bissonnette, 1985;Wortman et al, 1986;Wortman and Bissonnette, 1988). Carlson-Gunnoe et al (1983) determined TC, FC and FS counts to be decreased by orders of magnitude within two hours following in-stream exposure of sewage to AMD. Keating et al (1996) noted all strains of enteric bacteria tracked in a sewagecontaminated stream to be significantly and rapidly decreased to varying degrees during in-situ and laboratory bioassay exposure to AMD.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reduction of Fecal Indicator Bacteria Counts in an Ecologically-Engineered Acid Mine Drainage and Municipal Wastewater Passive Co-Treatment System

Winfrey

Strosnider²,

Nairn³

2009

JASMR

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Passive co-treatment of municipal wastewater and synthetic acid mine drainage in a laboratory-scale, four-stage continuous flow reactor system was examined for changes in fecal indicator bacteria counts. Synthetic acid mine drainage was mixed at a 1:2 ratio with raw municipal wastewater from the City of Norman, Oklahoma and introduced to the system. The municipal wastewater contained varying concentrations of total coliforms (TC), fecal coliforms (FC), E. coli (EC), and fecal streptococci (FS). Initial concentrations ranged from 6-13, 0.6-6, 3-5, and 0.1-0.7 million cfu/100 mL, for TC, FC, EC, and FS, respectively. During the 6.6-day system residence time, a 100% reduction of all indicator bacteria was observed. However, indicator bacteria exhibited evidence of sublethal injury with slower colony formation rates on standard growth media. Extending standard incubation periods resulted in higher concentrations of all indicator bacteria in each treatment stage, except the final stage where only EC and TC counts increased. Although this co-treatment regime effectively reduced indicator bacteria concentrations, much remains unknown about the potential for sub-lethal injury to indicator bacteria and its impact on the viability of cotreatment for pathogen removal.

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“…Inability to detect stressed or injured indicator organisms can compromise the evaluation of the public health safety of a water supply. Previous studies in our laboratory have demonstrated that Escherichia coli was injured following exposure to AMW (15,19,42) and that the adverse effect of AMW on fecal-indicator detection can be reduced by resuscitation techniques (10,16). Recently, we reported that AMW caused extensive structural damage to E. coli (43) and that an extended incubation period was required for repair of injury (42).…”

mentioning

confidence: 91%

Metabolic processes involved in repair of Escherichia coli cells damaged by exposure to acid mine water

Wortman

Bissonnette

1988

Appl Environ Microbiol

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Escherichia coli was stressed by exposure to filter-sterilized acid mine water. Synthetic processes required for repair of sublethally injured survivors were studied by the addition of specific metabolic inhibitors to a resuscitation broth. Inhibitors of protein, RNA, DNA, lipid, and peptidoglycan synthesis as well as uncouplers and inhibitors of electron transport and ATPase activity were used. Acid mine water injury was severe, causing damage to the outer and cytoplasmic membranes. Repair of sublethally injured cells required protein, RNA, and lipid synthesis as well as a proton motive force.

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In situ persistence of indicator bacteria in streams polluted with acid mine drainage

Cited by 9 publications

References 10 publications

Assessing viability of Escherichia coli in mining-impacted surface waters

Assessing viability of Escherichia coli in mining-impacted surface waters

Reduction of Fecal Indicator Bacteria Counts in an Ecologically-Engineered Acid Mine Drainage and Municipal Wastewater Passive Co-Treatment System

Metabolic processes involved in repair of Escherichia coli cells damaged by exposure to acid mine water

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