Chapter 14 - Microbiological Indicators for Monitoring Marine Pollution in the Baltic Sea and the Mediterranean Sea

Abstract

This chapter discusses a study in which hygienic microbiological parameters, Esherichia coli, enterococci, and coliphages were investigated as indicator for human pathogenic bacteria and viruses. These microbiological indicators became part of the effects monitoring trials during the field surveys in the Baltic and Mediterranean Sea. The counts of indicator bacteria showed a much higher microbiologic or hygienic load at the sampling stations in the Mediterranean Sea than in the Baltic estuaries. But in the estuary of the river Odra, there was a very high load of E. coli, enterococci, and coliphages as well. The amount of coliphages was at the Baltic stations rather low and in many samples even below the detection limit (no virus/100 ml). The microbiological contamination of seawater caused by untreated sewage, pollution by inland rivers and “run off” waters from agricultural fields. The measured data of E. coli and enterococci at some stations at the Mediterranean and Baltic Sea, were beyond the maximum permissible limits after the guidelines of the European Community concerning hygienic parameters. At some contaminated sites there are signals of a potential risk to human health by the swimming water quality. Thus, the results showed that the microbiological hygienic parameters are useful tools for the ecotoxicological evaluation of an environmental heath status.