Multi-tiered approach utilizing microbial source tracking and human associated-IMS/ATP for surveillance of human fecal contamination in Baja California, Mexico

Zimmer‐Faust, Amity G.; Thulsiraj, Vanessa; Lee, Christine M.; Whitener, Victoria Ann; Rugh, Megan; Mendoza‐Espinosa, Leopoldo G.; Jay, Jennifer A.

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.05.172

Cited by 9 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 30 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…However, the Chak Mak Canal has been reported for its low flow and low current circulation in Pra Doo Bay (Singkran, 2012), leading to a minimal distribution of fecal pollution to the broader environment. This study emphasized the human fecal contamination impact on receiving water during dry weather, as has been previously reported (Sercu et al, 2009;Zimmer-Faust et al, 2018;Green et al, 2019;Gyawali et al, 2020). Sources of fecal contamination during dry weather could be from damaged sewer collection pipes, related infrastructure, or illicit discharges, which require further investigation.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 54%

Human Fecal Pollution Monitoring and Microbial Risk Assessment for Water Reuse Potential in a Coastal Industrial–Residential Mixed-Use Watershed

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Rapid economic development has caused industrial expansion into residential communities, leading to higher fecal pollution loads that could be discharged into aquatic environments. However, little is known regarding the potential microbial impact on human health. This study investigated microbial contamination from coastal industrial–residential community areas in nine sampling sites in waterways during three dry events. A general microbial source tracking (MST) marker, GenBac3, was detected in all samples from all three events, indicating continuing fecal pollution in the area, mostly from human sewage contamination. This was shown by the human-specific genetic marker crAssphage (88.9%) and human polyomavirus (HPyVs; 92.6%) detection. Enteric human adenovirus (HAdV40/41) showed three positive results only from residential sites in the first event. No spatial difference was observed for MST markers and traditional fecal indicators (total coliforms and Escherichia coli) in each event. Still, a significantly lower abundance of GenBac3, HPyVs, and total coliforms in the first sampling event was detected. Spearman’s rho analysis indicated a strong correlation among certain pairs of microbial parameters. Multivariate analysis revealed two clusters of samples separated by land use type (industrial vs. residential). According to factor analysis of mixed data, the land use parameter was more associated with physicochemical parameters (i.e., salinity, conductivity, water temperature, and dissolved oxygen). A Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA) was then conducted to estimate the annual infection risks of HAdV40/41 for non-potable water reuse purposes using predicted concentrations from crAssphage and HPyVs. The highest risks (95th percentiles) were ranked by food crop irrigation, aquaculture, and toilet flushing, at 10–1, 10–2, and 10–3 per person per year (pppy). Required treatment levels to achieve a 10–4 pppy annual infection risk were estimated. QMRA-based water treatment scenarios were suggested, including chlorination for toilet flushing reuse and depth filtration prior to chlorination for aquaculture and food crop irrigation. Microbial monitoring combined with a QMRA could provide better insights into fecal pollution patterns and the associated risks, facilitating effective water quality management and appropriate prior treatments for water reuse.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 54%

Human Fecal Pollution Monitoring and Microbial Risk Assessment for Water Reuse Potential in a Coastal Industrial–Residential Mixed-Use Watershed

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Documented cases in the U.S. are along, e.g., the Malibu Coastline (CA) near Los Angeles [37], the coastline in Santa Barbara (CA) [38], the Delaware River within Philadelphia [39], the Charles River within Boston [40], and the estuary of the Hudson River near New York City [41]. Similar observations were made in, e.g., Australia [42], China [43], Germany [44], Mexico [45], and UK [46]. Two hypotheses are formulated to explain the observed large concentrations of FIB.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 59%

Groundwater-Sewer Interaction in Urban Coastal Areas

Liu

Prigiobbe

2018

Water

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In this paper, a study of the potential causes of the occurrence of high concentration of Enterococcus Faecalis in surface water within urban areas in dry-weather conditions (DWCs) is presented. Two hypotheses were formulated: (1) undersized sewer system; and (2) groundwater infiltration into damaged sewer pipes. In both cases, more frequent combined sewer overflows (CSOs) may occur discharging untreated sewage into surface water. To evaluate the first hypothesis, a hydraulic model of a sewer was developed assuming a water-tight system. The simulation results show that CSOs never occur in DWCs but a rain event of intensity equal to 1/3 of one-year return period may trigger them. To evaluate the second hypothesis, a model combining sewer failure with groundwater level was developed to identify the sections of damaged sewer below the water table and, therefore, potentially affected by infiltration. The risk of infiltration exceeds 50% in almost half of the entire network even at the lowest calculated water table. Considering 50% of infiltration distributed throughout that part of the network, CSOs can occur also in DWCs.

show abstract

“…Recycled water production for urban, industrial, environmental, and agricultural applications in the United States is estimated to rise from 4.8 to 6.6 billion gallons per day by 2027 according to a Bluefield research survey ( 46 ). Recycled water delivered to surface waters can be misidentified as untreated sewage due to the persistence of sewage-associated markers such as HF183 and crAssphage (CPQ_056) through wastewater treatment ( 22 , 47 , 48 ). The persistence of other sewage-associated MST markers through wastewater treatment and in environmental waters is less understood, and a comparative study of MST marker persistence in AWT and CWT facilities has, to our knowledge, not previously been described.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Persistence of sewage-associated genetic markers in advanced and conventional treated recycled water: implications for microbial source tracking in surface waters

Lobos,

Brandt,

Gallard-Góngora

et al. 2024

mBio

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Sewage contamination of environmental waters is increasingly assessed by measuring DNA from sewage-associated microorganisms in microbial source tracking (MST) approaches. However, DNA can persist through wastewater treatment and reach surface waters when treated sewage/recycled water is discharged, which may falsely indicate pollution from untreated sewage. Recycled water discharged from an advanced wastewater treatment (AWT) facility into a Florida stream elevated the sewage-associated HF183 marker 1,000-fold, with a minimal increase in cultured Escherichia coli . The persistence of sewage-associated microorganisms was compared by qPCR in untreated sewage and recycled water from conventional wastewater treatment (CWT) and AWT facilities. E. coli (EC23S857) and sewage-associated markers HF183, H8, and viral crAssphage CPQ_056 were always detected in untreated sewage (6.5–8.7 log 10 GC/100 mL). Multivariate analysis found a significantly greater reduction of microbial variables via AWT vs CWT. Bacterial markers decayed ~4–5 log 10 through CWT, but CPQ_056 was ~100-fold more persistent. In AWT facilities, the log 10 reduction of all variables was ~5. In recycled water, bacterial marker concentrations were significantly correlated ( P ≤ 0.0136; tau ≥ 0.44); however, CPQ_056 was not correlated with any marker, suggesting varying drivers of decay. Concentrations of cultured E. coli carrying the H8 marker (EcH8) in untreated sewage were 5.24–6.02 log 10 CFU/100 mL, while no E. coli was isolated from recycled water. HF183 and culturable EcH8 were also correlated in contaminated surface waters (odds ratio β 1 = 1.701). Culturable EcH8 has a strong potential to differentiate positive MST marker signals arising from treated (e.g., recycled water) and untreated sewage discharged into environmental waters. IMPORTANCE Genes in sewage-associated microorganisms are widely accepted indicators of sewage pollution in environmental waters. However, DNA persists through wastewater treatment and can reach surface waters when recycled water is discharged, potentially causing false-positive indications of sewage contamination. Previous studies have found that bacterial and viral sewage-associated genes persist through wastewater treatment; however, these studies did not compare different facilities or identify a solution to distinguish sewage from recycled water. In this study, we demonstrated the persistence of bacterial marker genes and the greater persistence of a viral marker gene (CPQ_056 of crAssphage) through varying wastewater treatment facilities. We also aim to provide a tool to confirm sewage contamination in surface waters with recycled water inputs. This work showed that the level of wastewater treatment affects the removal of microorganisms, particularly viruses, and expands our ability to identify sewage in surface waters.

show abstract

Multi-tiered approach utilizing microbial source tracking and human associated-IMS/ATP for surveillance of human fecal contamination in Baja California, Mexico

Cited by 9 publications

References 30 publications

Human Fecal Pollution Monitoring and Microbial Risk Assessment for Water Reuse Potential in a Coastal Industrial–Residential Mixed-Use Watershed

Human Fecal Pollution Monitoring and Microbial Risk Assessment for Water Reuse Potential in a Coastal Industrial–Residential Mixed-Use Watershed

Groundwater-Sewer Interaction in Urban Coastal Areas

Persistence of sewage-associated genetic markers in advanced and conventional treated recycled water: implications for microbial source tracking in surface waters

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About