Abstract
The sampling regime used to monitor the microbiological quality of water typically involves the collection of whole water samples, where bacteria are assumed to be planktonic. This practice ignores sedimentary pathogen sources and highlights the lack of understanding regarding the effect of shear stress on the erosion of bacteria from sediment particles. This study utilized a wave flume and an environmental test bacterial strain to examine the effect of increasing wave energy on bacterial loading and the partitioning of free-floating and floc-associated bacteria in water. A positive correlation was found between wave energy, total suspended solids, and bacterial loading in water. Experiments examining free-floating and floc-associated bacteria under low (0.60 N/s) and high (5.35 N/s) wave energy demonstrated the importance of floc as a vector for the transport of bacteria. These results imply that current beach sampling and analysis methods may not reflect overall beach water quality.
Highlights
I would like to thank my supervisors Dr Gideon Wolfaardt and Dr Ian Droppo for their guidance, insightful contribution and valued input
Recreational water quality at public beaches is assessed by municipal health units for the presence of bacterial indicators, namely total coliform, fecal coliform, enterococci, and/or Escherichia coli
The sampling regime used for monitoring may involve the collection of whole water samples, where it is assumed that bacteria present in the water are in a planktonic state
Summary
Many epidemiological studies have identified a link between swimmingassociated illness and beach water quality (50, 69, 79, 86, 87). In a review of[22] epidemiological studies regarding the health effects from exposure to recreational water, the authors determined that E. coli, enterococci, and fecal streptococci were the indicators that correlate best with health outcome in freshwater environments (69). The rate of certain symptoms was found to be proportional to the count of fecal indicator bacteria. A consistent fmding in studies focusing on children is that this group has an elevated risk of illness after recreational water exposure (69, 87,88). Using quantitative PCR (QPCR) of enterococci rather than traditional plate counts as a measure of water quality, it was determined that children aged 10 and under, have a higher sensitivity to illness following recreational water exposure. Wet sand in particular is enriched with organic substances and provides a favourable environment for enteric pathogens (66)
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