Comparing wastewater chemicals, indicator bacteria concentrations, and bacterial pathogen genes as fecal pollution indicators
January 1, 2009
The objective of this study was to compare fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) (fecal coliforms, Escherichia coli [EC], and enterococci [ENT]) concentrations with a wide array of typical organic wastewater chemicals and selected bacterial genes as indicators of fecal pollution in water samples collected at or near 18 surface water drinking water intakes. Genes tested included esp (indicating human-pathogenic ENT) and nine genes associated with various animal sources of shiga-toxin–producing EC (STEC). Fecal pollution was indicated by genes and/or chemicals for 14 of the 18 tested samples, with little relation to FIB standards. Of 13 samples with
Citation Information
| Publication Year | 2009 |
|---|---|
| Title | Comparing wastewater chemicals, indicator bacteria concentrations, and bacterial pathogen genes as fecal pollution indicators |
| DOI | 10.2134/jeq2008.0173 |
| Authors | S.K. Haack, J.W. Duris, L.R. Fogarty, D.W. Kolpin, M. J. Focazio, E. T. Furlong, M. Meyer |
| Publication Type | Article |
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Series Title | Journal of Environmental Quality |
| Index ID | 70032821 |
| Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |
| USGS Organization | National Water Quality Laboratory; Toxic Substances Hydrology Program |