Attachment of Fecal Indicator Bacteria to Particles in the Neuse River Estuary, N.C.
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 132, Issue 10
Abstract
Observations of microbial contamination and particle suspensions represent valuable inputs to water quality models that form the basis of regulatory decisions regarding the use of surface waters. The Neuse River Estuary in eastern North Carolina is experiencing a decline in water quality due to increasing anthropogenic inputs. Potentially serious consequences of these inputs are the introduction and persistence of bacterial pathogenic organisms from human and animal waste. A critical factor in determining human health risk is the partitioning of these organisms between particle-attached and free-living cells in the water column. Particle-associated bacteria are generally less mobile in the environment, settle faster, and may have different rates of mortality than their free phase counterparts. Surface and bottom water samples were collected during both dry weather and storm events throughout the summer of 2004 to gage changes in particle concentration, particulate organic carbon and nitrogen, and the partitioning of two indicators of fecal contamination: Enterococcus sp. (ENT) and E. coli (EC). Increases in concentrations of these indicators coincided with increases in particles in suspension following storm events. In surface waters, both ENT and EC exhibited similar patterns, controlled primarily by runoff inputs (i.e., storms). In bottom waters, resuspension of sediments was additional source of particles and both indicators. Partitioning of these indicators between particle attached and free living exhibited an overall average of 38% of bacteria associated with particles capable of settling out of the water column. This fraction compares well with previous estimates of attachment of indicators in stormwater. The ability to estimate attachment rates and characterize particle suspensions provides a powerful tool for management and assessment of water quality in estuaries.
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Acknowledgments
The writers thank H. Paerl for access to water quality and organic particle data from Neuse River Estuary samples and support for collection of samples during dry conditions. J. Fear, J. Gregory, D. Blackwood, J. Parker, and J. Hsieh assisted in field collection during storm runs. Helpful comments were received from two anonymous reviewers. Support for this work provided by the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health through the Ecology of Infectious Disease Program Grant No. NSFOCE-03-27056 and associated REU supplement grant.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 132 • Issue 10 • October 2006
Pages: 1338 - 1345
Copyright
© 2006 ASCE.
History
Received: Jun 2, 2005
Accepted: Mar 20, 2006
Published online: Oct 1, 2006
Published in print: Oct 2006
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