Microbiological pollution of marine sediments in the southern stretch of the Gulf of Naples

Abstract

In the summer of 1982 a microbiological monitoring of marine sediments was conducted in the southern part of the gulf of Naples to assess fecal contamination. Ninty nine sediment samples were analyzed for coliforms, fecal streptococci, sulfite reducers and total plate counts. The southern part of the gulf was less polluted than other parts of the bay following the coliforms patterns. On the contrary different consideration could be drawn following the distribution of enterococci and clostridia: according to these two microbial parameters this area could seem more polluted than other zones of the gulf. Possible explanations are presented.