WRRCTR No.36 Migration of Poliovirus Type 2 in Percolating Water Through Selected Oahu Soils

Abstract

A laboratory study was made to determine the ability of three Oahu soils, Wahiawa, Lahaina, (both Low Humic Latosols), and Tantalus cinder to prevent possible contamination of the basal-water lens by the passage of virus. The study was performed utilizing columns containing the selected soils and subject to intermittent percolating water containing a known concentration of Poliovirus Type 2, simulating the action of a cesspool leaching into the ground. The effluent from the soil column was collected and analyzed for viral content by the plaque forming techniques. Breakthrough of the virus occurred in both Wahiawa and Lahaina soils at soil thicknesses of 6-inch, 2 1/2-inch, and 1 1/2-inch at applied concentration of 1.5 x 10^5 pfu/ml of feed solution. The virus removal was over 97 percent of the applied titer. The Tantalus cinder proved ineffective in withholding the virus at the applied concentration of 1.5 x 10^5 pfu/ml of feed solution. The virus breakthrough varies between 39 percent to 78 percent of the applied titer.