Nematodes as a source of total coliforms in a distribution system

2007 ◽  
Vol 53 (5) ◽  
pp. 580-585 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annie Locas ◽  
Benoit Barbeau ◽  
Vincent Gauthier

In a distribution system of a large North American city, recurring total coliforms and atypical coliforms were detected at the exit (distribution pumps) of a storage reservoir. The presence of total coliforms and atypical coliforms was noted when the pumps were in operation and the water temperature was higher than 18 °C. The total coliform and atypical coliform concentrations at the volute pump casings ranged from 0 to 93.5 colony forming units (cfu)/100 mL. Significant concentrations of nematodes were also detected at this sampling location, averaging 12.0 nematodes/L in 2001 and 17.4 nematodes/L in 2002. The hypothesis that coliforms were released from the nematodes during their transit through the high-pressure pump was tested by recovering nematodes by filtering large volumes of water and grinding the nematodes in the laboratory, using various techniques. Total coliform and heterotrophic bacteria concentrations ranged from 0 to 27 cfu/nematode and 0 to 643 cfu/nematode, respectively. The origin of the nematodes was traced back to the sand filters located at the two water treatment plants. The importance of invertebrates in the distribution system should not be dismissed and the associated health risks, if any, should be assessed.

2021 ◽  
Vol 53 (3) ◽  
pp. 210307
Author(s):  
Sandhya Babel ◽  
Hakk Dork

Micro-plastics (MP) contamination in drinking water has become a global concern. Its negative impacts on human health have been reported. This study identified the presence of MP in two different drinking water treatment plants (WTP) in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and investigated their removal efficiency. Samples were collected from the inlet, sedimentation, sand filtration, and distribution tank to quantify the removal by each unit. An optical microscope and a fluorescence microscope were used to detect the MP in four size fractions: 6.5-20, 20-53, 53-500, and >500 µm. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) was used to identify the polymer type for particles with size fractions of 53-500 and >500 µm. The results showed that the MP counted in WTP1 were 1180.5 ± 158 p/L in the inlet and 521 ± 61 p/L in the distribution tank. In WTP2, the MP counted were 1463 ± 126 p/L in the inlet and 617 ± 147 p/L in the distribution tank. The smaller size fraction of 6.5-20 µm predominated at each sampling location. Fragments were the most abundant morphology compared to fibers in all sampling points of both plants. PET predominated and the overall percentages for the inlet tank were 28.8% and 26%, followed by PE with 27.1% and 20.8% in WTP1 and WTP2, respectively. Other common polymer types were PP, PA, PES, and cellophane, while all others accounted for less than 5%. The results of the study showed that a significant number of MP remained in the water distribution system.


2017 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 353-359
Author(s):  
Andrée F. Maheux ◽  
Sébastien Bouchard ◽  
Ève Bérubé ◽  
Michel G. Bergeron

The MI, Chromocult® coliform, and Compass CC chromogenic culture-based methods used to assess water quality by the detection of Escherichia coli and total coliforms were compared in terms of their specificity and sensitivity, using 16S rRNA sequencing for colony identification. A sewage water sample was divided in 2-μL subsamples for testing by all three culture-based methods. All growing colonies were harvested and subjected to 16S rRNA sequencing. Test results showed that all E. coli colonies were correctly identified by all three methods, for a specificity and a sensitivity of 100%. However, for the total coliform detection, the MI agar, Chromocult® coliform agar, and Compass CC agar were specific for only 69.2% (9/13), 47.2% (25/53), and 40.5% (17/42), whereas sensitive for 97.8% (45/46), 97.5% (39/40), and 85.7% (24/28), respectively. Thus, given the low level of specificity of these methods for the detection of total coliforms, confirming the identity of total coliform colonies could help to take public health decisions, in particular for cities connected to a public drinking water distribution system since the growth of few putative total coliform colonies on chromogenic agar is problematic and can lead to unnecessary and costly boiling notices from public health authorities.


2005 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 48
Author(s):  
A A M Hatha ◽  
K S Christi ◽  
R Singh ◽  
S Kumar

Forty samples of freshwater clam (Batissa violacea), popularly known as Kai, collected from the Suva market were analysed for total aerobic plate count and total coliforms. The heterotrophic bacteria isolated by plate count were also characterised up to genera. The results indicated higher than acceptable level of plate count and coliform bacteria. While total plate count of aerobic heterotrophic bacteria ranged from 5.5 x 105 colony forming units (cfu) per gram to more than 107 cfu/ gram, total coliform load varied between 1.1 x 104 to 1.1 x 105 per 100 gm of Kai flesh. The characterisation of the heterotrophic bacteria revealed the predominance of the genera Micrococcus (34%) and Bacillus (24%). Other genera encountered included Acinetobacter, Vibrio, Aeromonas, Alcaligenes, Pseudomonas, Streptococcus and members of the family Enterobacteriaceae. The results revealed the need for depuration of the Kai in clean running water to reduce the bacterial load to acceptable levels. Temperature control soon after harvesting by proper icing and thorough cooking of the Kai before consumption is also recommended.


2013 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lies Indah Sutiknowati

The objective of this research was to evaluate waters quality in Pari island waters for aquaculture purpose based on bacteriological information conducted in Mei and September 2011. Microbiological parameters analyzed were total density of bacteria for coliforms, E.coli, pathogenic, heterotrophic, halotoleran, phosphate-nitrate-ammonia breaker, and total cells. Method to analyze coliform bacteria was filtration, identification of pathogenic bacteria using biochemical test, density analises for heterotrophic bacteria, analises for phosphate-nitrate-ammonia breaker bacteria using pour plate, and total cell using Acridine Orange Epifluorescence Microscopy. Results showed that the abundance of total coliform cell was about 1000-7000 colony forming unit (cfu)/100 ml. The abundance of heterotrophic, halotolerant, phosphate-nitrate-ammonia bacteria in seawater was (3.6-4.3)x105 cfu/ml, (1.1-1.3)x105 cfu/ml, (0.5-3.44)x103cfu/ml; and (3.6-6.7)x105 cfu/ml, (1.6-2.7)x105 cfu/ml, (0.6-5.22)x103 cfu/ml in sediment, respectively. The total cell of bacteria was (0.05-2.1)x107cells/ml. The dog-conch (Strombus turturella) and blood-clamps (Anadara granosa) can survive in Pari Island and there was a significant increase in sea grass litter with growth average of 0.67 mm/day and 0.90 mm/day. During snails and clamps growth, there were found several genus of pathogenic bacteria such as Salmonella, Vibrio, Aeromonas, Pseudomonas, Citrobacter, Proteus, Shigella, Hafnia, and Yersinia. The results showed that Pari island waters was suitable for developing shellfish aquaculture dog conch and blood clamps. Keywords: bacteria, parameter, shellfish, aquaculture.


2009 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 379-386 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. A. Baghoth ◽  
M. Dignum ◽  
A. Grefte ◽  
J. Kroesbergen ◽  
G. L. Amy

For drinking water treatment plants that do not use disinfectant residual in the distribution system, it is important to limit availability of easily biodegradable natural organic matter (NOM) fractions which could enhance bacterial regrowth in the distribution system. This can be achieved by optimising the removal of those fractions of interest during treatment; however, this requires a better understanding of the physical and chemical properties of these NOM components. Fluorescence excitation-emission matrix (EEM) and liquid chromatography with online organic carbon detection (LC-OCD) were used to characterize NOM in water samples from one of the two water treatment plants serving Amsterdam, The Netherlands. No disinfectant residual is applied in the distribution system. Fluorescence EEM and LC-OCD were used to track NOM fractions. Whereas fluorescence EEM shows the reduction of humic-like as well as protein-like fluorescence signatures, LC-OCD was able to quantify the changes in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations of five NOM fractions: humic substances, building blocks (hydrolysates of humics), biopolymers, low molecular weight acids and neutrals.


Author(s):  
Kanij Fatema Nishan ◽  
Nilufa Yeasmin ◽  
Urmi Rani Devi ◽  
Sumiya Akter ◽  
Md. Abu Bakar ◽  
...  

Chattogram is the second most populated city in Bangladesh. This port city faces a serious threat mainly due to the lack of safe drinking water. This study was conducted for determining drinking water quality of groundwater sources in Chattogram city. The study was performed in the BCSIR laboratory, Chattogram. It was carried out for a period of six months from 1st July, 2018 to 31th December, 2018. Total six water samples were collected from three different locations (Baluchora, C&B colony and Khulshi area). Each sampling location consists of two separate sampling points. Physicochemical parameters of the collected samples like Temperature, pH, Electrical Conductivity (EC), Total dissolved solid (TDS), Hardness, Turbidity and concentration of Cl, As, Mn, Fe, Pb, Cr and Cd were examined. Microbial parameters like Total Coliform (TC) were also measured. All the analyzed parameters compared with BSTI and WHO drinking water quality standards to understand the overall ground water quality status of the study area. The results reveal that water samples in almost all locations were contaminated with microbial contamination and that the range of physico-chemical parameters was not adequate for consumption. Preliminary treatments like boiling, filtering etc are required before using groundwater for drinking and the necessary measures must be taken for a safe alternative source of drinking water.


Author(s):  
H. O. Stanley ◽  
C. J. Ugboma ◽  
M. A. S. Horsfall

Sanitation and water quality are a good measure to judge the living standard and health status of a community. This study focused on the assessment of surface and ground water resources from selected waterfront areas within Port Harcourt metropolis notable for their poor sanitary conditions as receptacles for domestic wastes. Surface water (river) and ground water samples were collected from Abuloma waterfront, Marine Base and Afikpo (Diobu) and their microbiological and physiochemical parameters determined using standard laboratory methods. The microbiological parameters analyzed include total heterotrophic bacteria count (THBC), fecal coliform count, total coliform count, Salmonella count, Shigella count and Vibrio count. The physiochemical parameters monitored include pH, temperature, conductivity, salinity total dissolved solids (TDS), dissolved oxygen (DO), turbidity and biological oxygen demand (BOD). The THBC ranged from 15x101cfu/ml to 1.3x102 cfu/ml; total coliform count ranged from 0 to 17cfu/ml; all the samples had no fecal coliform; the Salmonella count ranged from 0 to 15 cfu/ml; the Shigella count ranged from 0 to 30cfu/ml and Vibrio count ranged from 0 to 15 cfu/ml. The pH values ranged from 5.9-7.6; temperature from 27.5°C to 29.6°C; salinity from 0.012 mg/l to 0.379 mg/l; conductivity from 17.8 s/cm to 19370 s/cm; TDS from 12.3 mg/l to 13610 mg/l; DO from 2.41 mg/l -3.4mg/l, turbidity from 0.24 NTU to 1.11 NTU and BOD from 16 mg/l to 120 mg/l. The results obtained showed that the water resources are not safe and pose risk to human health. These findings highlight the need to improve the sanitary condition of waterfront areas and promote water treatment to ensure the health and safety of the public.


Author(s):  
Elliot Spicer ◽  
BCIT School of Health Sciences, Environmental Health ◽  
Helen Heacock

Background: Seniors participate in sports to improve physical, mental, and social health; however, such activities may increase the risk of illness and injury. Curling is popular in this age group because it is physically manageable, strategic, and provides social connection. Certain factors in curling such as handshaking, play during the flu season, and shared contact with curling stones suggest an increased risk of disease transmission. The purpose of this study was to determine the qualitative risk of communicable enteric disease transmission due to shared contact with curling stone handles in a senior men’s curling league. Methods: 3M™ Quick Swabs were used to sample 22 curling stone handles for total coliforms before a senior’s league game. To analyze microbial shedding during gameplay, the same 22 handles were sampled after the game. Samples were plated on 3M™ Petrifilm™ Coliform Count Plates and incubated at 30ºC ± 1ºC for 24 hours ± 2 hours. Colonies were enumerated in units of CFU (colony forming units)/cm2. Ambient and handle surface temperatures were measured, and curler hygiene-related behaviours documented. Results: Total coliform counts for all samples were 0 CFU/cm2. The ambient temperature was 6.6°C pre-game, and 8.0°C post-game. Mean handle surface temperature was 3.6°C. Hygiene behaviours of concern were hand-face contact, handkerchief/tissue use, and handshaking. Conclusion: There is low risk of enteric disease transmission due to shared contact with curling stone handles by male curlers 55 years and older. Absence of coliforms may have been due to adequate player hygiene, transference of microbial load before sampling, error, or environmental conditions. Health promotion and education can reduce the infection risk elevated by poor hand hygiene, face contact, and handshaking in senior’s curling, thereby protecting the health and welfare of all participants.


2005 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 487-493 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bilge Hapcioglu ◽  
Yildiz Yegenoglu ◽  
Zayre Erturan ◽  
Yasar Nakipoglu ◽  
Halim Issever

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document