Detection of E. coli DH5alpha specific bacteriophage in the vicinity of a water treatment plant

Abstract

Air in the vicinity of a water treatment plantscheduled for redevelopment was monitored foraerosols containing a bacteriophagespecific for the Escherichia coli (E.coli) strain DH5alpha bacterium. An assay forthe detection of the specific airbornebacteriophage was developed. Sampling wascarried out prior to and after completion ofdevelopment work to the plant. Preliminaryexperiments showed water from the plantcontains the bacteriophage specific for theE. coli DH5alpha bacterium. Two fieldstudies were completed before work on thetreatment plant began. The first study,conducted under wet and windy conditions, usedonly passive air sampling to monitor air at 3selected locations adjacent to the plant.E. coli DH5alpha specific bacteriophage waspositively detected, albeit at low levels. However, both the passive and a new direct airsampling technique were employed in the secondfield study, conducted under dry and windyconditions. In this instance, neither methoddetected specific bacteriophage. Further workwas undertaken 6 months after modifications tothe plant had been completed. Passive anddirect air sampling techniques were againemployed at each of the same 3 selectedlocations. Samples from both of these methodscontained no bacteriophage. As a check, thesamples were also analysed using an alternativeprocedure. No bacteriophage was detected. Theresults generated indicate that the levels ofairborne specific bacteriophage in the vicinityof the plant appear to be extremely low, andthe direct air sampling technique successful.