Impact of water eutrophication on bacterial indicator organisms occurrence and survival

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2014-08
Authors
Ferrufino, Alejandra Cecilia
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[Honolulu] : [University of Hawaii at Manoa], [August 2014]
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Abstract
Fecal contamination in water sources is measured and monitored by fecal indicator bacteria (FIBs) put in regulation under the recreational water quality criteria by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This study tests for the extended survival and possible replication of FIBs in marine and freshwater environments and in laboratory microcosms. Three separate studies testing the survival of FIBs were performed in the length of this report. Beach sand and aquatic vegetation were collected from Waialae Beach Park, and were used in beach sand microcosms to test FIB survival and die-off under the influence of nutrient input from aquatic vegetation. The samples collected were divided into different sand microcosms with different vegetation nutrients in order to test their impact on the concentration dynamics of Enterococcus faecalis and Clostridium perfringens. A second study that tested the survival of FIBs in two freshwater ponds was performed at the University of Hawaii Krauss Hall pond and Japanese Garden Pond. The ponds were tested for the trophic level index (phosphorous, nitrogen and algae concentration) and enterococci and Escherichia coli concentrations in the span of five months. In addition to investigating the survival on the FIBs in the ponds, microcosms were set up in a controlled laboratory environment to test for die-off rate of enterococci and E. coli in three different trophic states: oligotrophic, mesotrophic, and eutrophic. All experiments performed during the study show that FIBs have a longer survival rate and replication when aquatic vegetation is present in the environment. The bacterium feed from the nutrients present in aquatic plants and use the vegetation as protective shields from environmental hazards such as UV light.
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M.S. University of Hawaii at Manoa 2014.
Includes bibliographical references.
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Fecal Indicator Bacteria
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Theses for the degree of Master of Science (University of Hawaii at Manoa). Civil Engineering.
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