Removal of Fecal Indicators, Pathogenic Bacteria, Adenovirus, Cryptosporidium and Giardia (oo)cysts in Waste Stabilization Ponds in Northern and Eastern Australia

Abstract

Maturation ponds are used in rural and regional areas in Australia to remove the microbial loads of sewage wastewater, however, they have not been studied intensively until present. Using a combination of culture-based methods and quantitative real-time PCR, we assessed microbial removal rates in maturation ponds at four waste stabilization ponds (WSP) with (n = 1) and without (n = 3) baffles in rural and remote communities in Australia. Concentrations of total coliforms, E. coli, enterococci, Campylobacter spp., Salmonella spp., F+ RNA coliphage, adenovirus, Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia (oo) cysts in maturation ponds were measured at the inlet and outlet. Only the baffled pond demonstrated a significant removal of most of the pathogens tested and therefore was subjected to further study by analyzing E. coli and enterococci concentrations at six points along the baffles over five sampling rounds. Using culture-based methods, we found a decrease in the number of E. coli and enterococci from the initial values of 100,000 CFU per 100 mL in the inlet samples to approximately 1000 CFU per 100 mL in the outlet samples for both bacterial groups. Giardia cysts removal was relatively higher than fecal indicators reduction possibly due to sedimentation.

Ecological and Public Health Implications of the Discharge of Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria and Physicochemical Contaminants from Treated Wastewater Effluents in the Eastern Cape, South Africa

“…As observed in the study, the counts of the FIB complied with 10 3 CFU/100 mL limit during some of the sampling months, whereas, counts far above this limit were recorded in other months. Similar findings to this have been reported by other studies [29,56].…”

Members of the family Campylobacteraceae: Campylobacter jejuni, Campylobacter coli

“…When Sheludchenko et al (2016) studied fecal microbes in remote and rural maturation ponds in Australia, they reported baffled maturation ponds operated more effectively for removal of presumptive Campylobacter spp. than other waste stabilization pond systems; as you would expect based on improved residence time control and reduced turbidity.…”

Significance of buoyancy in turbulence closure for computational fluid dynamics modelling of ultraviolet disinfection in maturation ponds

“…The maturation pond under investigation is located in South East Queensland and has been the subject of a number of studies (Sheludchenko et al 2016;Dahl et al 2017a,b). Fig.…”