Assessing Human Fecal Contamination in a Mixed-Use Watershed Using Microbial Source Tracking
Abstract
Protecting surface waters from fecal pollution is critical to protecting public health. Human fecal contamination, in particular, poses a significant risk to human health because it contains an abundance of human pathogens. While routine monitoring of standard fecal indicator bacteria (FIB), such as E. coli, has significantly reduced public exposure to pathogens, standard FIB do not enable determination of the host-species from which the fecal matter originates. Identification of host-species enables water quality managers to implement the most efficient and effective mitigation strategies. Rock Creek has, for many years, been designated as an impaired waterway due to fecal contamination. The primary objective of this study was to determine the current proportion of human-associated FIB in Rock Creek. To meet this objective, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was employed to determine the proportion of human Bacteroides Protecting surface waters from fecal pollution is critical to protecting public health. Human fecal contamination, in particular, poses a significant risk to human health because it contains an abundance of human pathogens. While routine monitoring of standard fecal indicator bacteria (FIB), such as E. coli, has significantly reduced public exposure to pathogens, standard FIB do not enable determination of the host-species from which the fecal matter originates. Identification of host-species enables water quality managers to implement the most efficient and effective mitigation strategies. Rock Creek has, for many years, been designated as an impaired waterway due to fecal contamination. The primary objective of this study was to determine the current proportion of human-associated FIB in Rock Creek. To meet this objective, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was employed to determine the proportion of human Bacteroides present in Rock Creek.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 19, 2017
- Accession Number
- AD1063989
Entities
People
- Jonathan M Honey
Organizations
- Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences