Vidy Bay Research Articles

Parsimonious hydrological modeling of urban sewer and river catchments

Summary A parsimonious model of flow capable of simulating flow in natural/engineered catchments and at WWTP (Wastewater Treatment Plant) inlets was developed. The model considers three interacting, dynamic storages that account for transfer of water within the system. One storage describes the “flashy” response of impervious surfaces, another pervious areas and finally one storage describes subsurface flow. The sewerage pipe network is considered as an impervious surface and is thus included in the impervious surface storage. In addition, the model assumes that water discharged from several CSOs (combined sewer overflows) can be accounted for using a single, characteristic CSO. The model was calibrated on, and validated for, the Vidy Bay WWTP, which receives effluent from Lausanne, Switzerland (population about 200,000), as well as for an overlapping urban river basin. The results indicate that a relatively simple approach is suitable for predicting the responses of interacting engineered and natural hydrosystems.

Increased Levels of Multiresistant Bacteria and Resistance Genes after Wastewater Treatment and Their Dissemination into Lake Geneva, Switzerland

At present, very little is known about the fate and persistence of multiresistant bacteria (MRB) and their resistance genes in natural aquatic environments. Treated, but partly also untreated sewage of the city of Lausanne, Switzerland is discharged into Vidy Bay (Lake Geneva) resulting in high levels of contamination in this part of the lake. In the present work we have studied the prevalence of MRB and resistance genes in the wastewater stream of Lausanne. Samples from hospital and municipal raw sewage, treated effluent from Lausanne’s wastewater treatment plant (WTP) as well as lake water and sediment samples obtained close to the WTP outlet pipe and a remote site close to a drinking water pump were evaluated for the prevalence of MRB. Selected isolates were identified (16S rRNA gene fragment sequencing) and characterized with regards to further resistances, resistance genes, and plasmids. Mostly, studies investigating this issue have relied on cultivation-based approaches. However, the limitations of these tools are well known, in particular for environmental microbial communities, and cultivation-independent molecular tools should be applied in parallel in order to take non-culturable organisms into account. Here we directly quantified the sulfonamide resistance genes sul1 and sul2 from environmental DNA extracts using TaqMan real-time quantitative PCR. Hospital sewage contained the highest load of MRB and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Wastewater treatment reduced the total bacterial load up to 78% but evidence for selection of extremely multiresistant strains and accumulation of resistance genes was observed. Our data clearly indicated pollution of sediments with ARGs in the vicinity of the WTP outlet. The potential of lakes as reservoirs of MRB and potential risks are discussed.

Characterization of fecal indicator bacteria in sediments cores from the largest freshwater lake of Western Europe (Lake Geneva, Switzerland)

This study characterized the fecal indicator bacteria (FIB), including Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Enteroccocus (ENT), disseminated over time in the Bay of Vidy, which is the most contaminated area of Lake Geneva. Sediments were collected from a site located at ∼500m from the present waste water treatment plant (WWTP) outlet pipe, in front of the former WWTP outlet pipe, which was located at only 300m from the coastal recreational area (before 2001). E. coli and ENT were enumerated in sediment suspension using the membrane filter method. The FIB characterization was performed for human Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) and Enterococcus faecium (E. faecium) and human specific bacteroides by PCR using specific primers and a matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Bacterial cultures revealed that maximum values of 35.2×108 and 6.6×106CFUg−1 dry sediment for E. coli and ENT, respectively, were found in the sediments deposited following eutrophication of Lake Geneva in the 1970s, whereas the WWTP started operating in 1964. The same tendency was observed for the presence of human fecal pollution: the percentage of PCR amplification with primers ESP-1/ESP-2 for E. faecalis and E. faecium indicated that more than 90% of these bacteria were from human origin. Interestingly, the PCR assays for specific-human bacteroides HF183/HF134 were positive for DNA extracted from all isolated strains of sediment surrounding WWPT outlet pipe discharge. The MALDI-TOF MS confirmed the presence of general E. coli and predominance E. faecium in isolated strains. Our results demonstrated that human fecal bacteria highly increased in the sediments contaminated with WWTP effluent following the eutrophication of Lake Geneva. Additionally, other FIB cultivable strains from animals or adapted environmental strains were detected in the sediment of the bay. The approaches used in this research are valuable to assess the temporal distribution and the source of the human fecal pollution in aquatic environments.

Local to regional scale industrial heavy metal pollution recorded in sediments of large freshwater lakes in central Europe (lakes Geneva and Lucerne) over the last centuries

This research first focuses on the spatial and temporal patterns of heavy metals from contrasting environments (highly polluted to deepwater sites) of Lake Geneva. The mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb) records from two deepwater sites show that the heavy metal variations before the industrial period are primarily linked to natural weathering input of trace elements. By opposition, the discharge of industrial treated wastewaters into Vidy Bay of Lake Geneva during the second part of the 20th century, involved the sedimentation of highly metal-contaminated sediments in the area surrounding the WWTP outlet pipe discharge. Eventually, a new Pb isotope record of sediments from Lake Lucerne identifies the long-term increasing anthropogenic lead pollution after ca. 1500, probably due to the development of metallurgical activities during the High Middle Ages. These data furthermore allows to compare the recent anthropogenic sources of water pollution from three of the largest freshwater lakes of Western Europe (lakes Geneva, Lucerne, and Constance). High increases in Pb and Hg highlight the regional impact of industrial pollution after ca. 1750–1850, and the decrease of metal pollution in the 1980s due to the effects of remediation strategies such as the implementation of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). However, at all the studied sites, the recent metal concentrations remain higher than pre-industrial levels. Moreover, the local scale pollution data reveal two highly contaminated sites (> 100 μg Pb/g dry weight sediment) by industrial activities, during the late-19th and early-20th centuries (Lake Lucerne) and during the second part of the 20th century (Vidy Bay of Lake Geneva). Overall, the regional scale pollution history inferred from the three large and deep perialpine lakes points out at the pollution of water systems by heavy metals during the last two centuries due to the discharge of industrial effluents.

Spatial and Temporal Presence of a Wastewater-Derived Micropollutant Plume in Lake Geneva

This study discusses the occurrence and environmental risk associated with a micropollutant plume originating from the direct discharge of treated wastewater into the Vidy Bay of Lake Geneva, Switzerland. The temporal variations and spatial extent of the plume and its effect on the presence of 39 pharmaceuticals and other micropollutants in the Vidy Bay were assessed over a 10 month period. A pronounced plume was observed from April to October, leading to locally elevated (up to 70-fold) pharmaceutical concentrations compared to the surrounding water column. For three of the measured substances, these plume-associated concentrations were sufficiently high to pose an ecotoxicological risk. The plume depth followed the thermal lake stratification, which moved to lower depths over the course of the warm seasons. Pharmaceutical hotspots associated with the plume were detected as far as 1.5 km downstream of the effluent wastewater outfall, but concentrations typically decreased with increasing distance from the wastewater outfall as a result of dilution and photodegradation. From November to January, when uniform temperature prevailed throughout the water column, no micropollutant plumes were detected. In contrast to pharmaceuticals, most pesticides showed homogeneous concentrations throughout the Vidy Bay during the whole study period, indicating that the effluent wastewater was not their dominant source. A strong linear correlation between electrical conductivity and concentrations of wastewater-derived micropollutants was identified. This relation will allow future estimates of wastewater-derived micropollutant concentrations via simple conductivity measurements.

Distribution of mercury and organic matter in particle-size classes in sediments contaminated by a waste water treatment plant: Vidy Bay, Lake Geneva, Switzerland

In Lake Geneva, Switzerland, the most Hg-contaminated sediments have been found in the Vidy Bay where high Hg contents largely exceeds the background levels of Lake Geneva sediments. This contamination has been attributed to the discharge of a waste water treatment plant (WWTP). Total Hg (THg) and monomethylmercury (MMHg) were determined in bulk sediment and in three different grain size fractions (i: clay and silt, ii: fine-coarse sand, iii: and very coarse sand and gravel) collected close to the outlet pipe of a WWTP in order to verify whether the standardized procedures of sediment treatment is adequate for this setting and, by extension, for similar contaminated sites. THg was homogeneously distributed in the different grain size fractions and was correlated to organic matter content (R(2) = 0.6). MMHg was homogeneously distributed in the two finer grain fractions (Φ < 0.063 mm; 0.063 mm < Φ <1 mm). The results of this study suggested that the analysis of the bulk sediment seems to be more appropriate for the assessment of the content and spatial distribution of Hg in freshwater sediments contaminated by WWTPs.

Composition of bacterial and archaeal communities in freshwater sediments with different contamination levels (Lake Geneva, Switzerland)

The aim of this study was to compare the composition of bacterial and archaeal communities in contaminated sediments (Vidy Bay) with uncontaminated sediments (Ouchy area) of Lake Geneva using 16S rRNA clone libraries. Sediments of both sites were analysed for physicochemical characteristics including porewater composition, organic carbon, and heavy metals. Results show high concentrations of contaminants in sediments from Vidy. Particularly, high contents of fresh organic matter and nutrients led to intense mineralisation, which was dominated by sulphate-reduction and methanogenesis. The bacterial diversity in Vidy sediments was significantly different from the communities in the uncontaminated sediments. Phylogenetic analysis revealed a large proportion of Betaproteobacteria clones in Vidy sediments related to Dechloromonas sp., a group of dechlorinating and contaminant degrading bacteria. Deltaproteobacteria, including clones related to sulphate-reducing bacteria and Fe(III)-reducing bacteria (Geobacter sp.) were also more abundant in the contaminated sediments. The archaeal communities consisted essentially of methanogenic Euryarchaeota, mainly found in the contaminated sediments rich in organic matter. Multiple factor analysis revealed that the microbial community composition and the environmental variables were correlated at the two sites, which suggests that in addition to environmental parameters, pollution may be one of the factors affecting microbial community structure.

Occurrence and fate of micropollutants in the Vidy Bay of Lake Geneva, Switzerland. Part II: Micropollutant removal between wastewater and raw drinking water

The occurrence and removal of 58 pharmaceuticals, endocrine disruptors, corrosion inhibitors, biocides, and pesticides, were assessed in the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) of the city of Lausanne, Switzerland, as well as in the effluent-receiving water body, the Vidy Bay of Lake Geneva. An analytical screening method to simultaneously measure all of the 58 micropollutants was developed based on ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled to a tandem mass spectrometer (UPLC-MS/MS). The selection of pharmaceuticals was primarily based on a prioritization study, which designated them as environmentally relevant for the Lake Geneva region. Except for the endocrine disruptor 17alpha-ethinylestradiol, all substances were detected in 24-h composite samples of wastewater entering the WWTP or in the treated effluent. Of these compounds, 40% were also detected in raw drinking water, pumped from the lake 3 km downstream of the WWTP. The contributions of dilution and degradation to micropollutant elimination between the WWTP outlet and the raw drinking water intake were established in different model scenarios using hypothetical residence times of the wastewater in Vidy Bay of 1, 4, or 90 d. Concentration decrease due to processes other than dilution was observed for diclofenac, beta-blockers, several antibiotics, corrosion inhibitors, and pesticides. Measured environmental concentrations (MECs) of pharmaceuticals were compared to the predicted environmental concentrations (PECs) determined in the prioritization study and agreed within one order of magnitude, but MECs were typically greater than the corresponding PECs. Predicted no-effect concentrations of the analgesic paracetamol, and the two antibiotics ciprofloxacin and sulfamethoxazole, were exceeded in raw drinking water samples and therefore present a potential risk to the ecosystem.

Occurrence and fate of micropollutants in the Vidy Bay of Lake Geneva, Switzerland. Part I: Priority list for environmental risk assessment of pharmaceuticals

Pharmaceuticals are substances designed to have a biological effect in humans. Their presence in the environment, especially in surface waters, is of increasing concern because of their potential risk to non-target species. A large number of pharmaceuticals are on the market; for example, approximately 2,000 active ingredients are approved in Europe, and many of them have already been detected in surface water. It is therefore crucial to select the substances that may do the most harm to the environment prior to performing measurements and extensive risk assessment. In the present study, a method to determine a list of pharmaceuticals to survey in surface water is proposed. Inclusion of substances on the list was based on a screening procedure, the analytical feasibility, and previous knowledge of pharmaceuticals detected in water. The screening procedure proposed here is an improvement on the standard procedure of the European Medicine Evaluation Agency (EMEA). It is designed to decrease the number of pharmaceuticals to be evaluated in a stepwise manner, thus decreasing the number of data necessary for the evaluation. We applied our approach to determine a list of 37 pharmaceuticals and four hormones to survey in a specific region of Switzerland, the Lake Geneva area, and discussed the advantages and weak points of the method.

Persistence and growth of faecal culturable bacterial indicators in water column and sediments of Vidy Bay, Lake Geneva, Switzerland

The aims of this study was to investigate the persistence and the growth of culturable bacterial indicators (CBI) including total coliforms (TC) and faecal coliforms represented by Escherichia coli, enterococcus (ENT), and aerobic mesophilic bacteria (AMB) in the surface sediments and the water column of Vidy Bay (Lake Geneva, City of Lausanne, Switzerland). The study was carried out for 60 d using microcosms containing Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) effluent and nonsterile water without CBI, as well as contaminated and non-contaminated sediments. The effects of water temperature and of organic matter associated with sediments on the survival of CBI in the sediments and the water column were observed. The number of CBI colonies in the contaminated sediments of Vidy Bay and in the STP effluent was almost identical in the order of 10(5)-10(7), 10(4)-10(6), 10(3)-10(5), and 10(4)-10(7) CFU/100 g sediment or/100 mL water for TC, E. coli, ENT, and AMB respectively. A degradation of CBI was observed in the sediments where organic matter content was low and in the water column at a temperature of 10 degrees C after 5 d of experimentation. In addition, a growth of CBI was observed in the sediment which is rich in organic matter at 20 degrees C. The results of this study indicate: (1) the higher concentrations of the CBI observed in different points in the water column of Vidy Bay may not be explained only by the recent contribution of the three potential sources of the Bay contamination including STP and the Chamberonne and Flon Rivers, but also by the persistence, removal from sediment and multiplication of CBI in the sediment and water column; (2) the sediment of Vidy Bay constitute a reservoir of CBI and can even support their growth; and (3) the CBI not only survive in sediments, but also can be remobilized and increased in the water column, therefore, it become a permanent microbiological pollution in Vidy Bay.

Distribution and survival of faecal indicator bacteria in the sediments of the Bay of Vidy, Lake Geneva, Switzerland

The purpose of this study was to determine the concentrations and the horizontal distribution of faecal indicator bacteria (FIB) including Escherichia coli and Enterococcus sp. in the bottom sediments of the Bay of Vidy, City of Lausanne, Switzerland. A vertical distribution of FIB in sediments near the municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) outlet was evaluated and their persistence in those sediments was monitored for a period of 90 days. High FIB levels were measured in the sediments sampled near the WWTP outlet pipe and the mouth of the Chamberonne River, at concentrations ranging between 105 and 107 CFU 100 g−1. FIB levels at 10 cm depth in the sediments near the WWTP outlet pipe ranged between 104 and 105 CFU 100 g−1, and were still detected in the top 6 cm after 90 days. Results of this study indicate that freshwater sediments of the Bay of Vidy constitute a reservoir of faecal indicator bacteria, which can persist in certain areas of the bay. Possible resuspension of FIB and pathogens may affect water quality and may increase health risks to sensitive populations during recreational activities. FIB survival in sediments for long periods is of considerable significance for the understanding of microbial pollution in water and for the management of risk at specific recreational coastal sites.

Effects of a sewage treatment plant outlet pipe extension on the distribution of contaminants in the sediments of the Bay of Vidy, Lake Geneva, Switzerland

In 2001, the municipality of Lausanne extended the outlet pipe of the sewage treatment plant into the Bay of Vidy (Lake Geneva, Switzerland) as a measure to reduce bacterial water pollution and sediment contamination close to the lake beaches. The aim of the present study was to assess the impact of this measure. Lake bottom sediments were collected and analyzed for grain size, organic matter, organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, heavy metals and hydrophobic organic compounds to evaluate their concentration and spatial distribution. Our results demonstrate that, compared to results obtained before the outlet pipe prolongation, the surface area of highly contaminated sediments was reduced by one third after the pipe extension. However, contaminant concentrations are still high and the accumulation of pollutants may represent a significant source of toxicity for benthic organisms. One concludes that contaminant reduction at the source will be necessary for a further improvement.

Characterizing Water Circulation and Contaminant Transport in Lake Geneva Using Bacteriophage Tracer Experiments and Limnological Methods

Multi-tracer tests with three types of marine bacteriophages (H4/4, H6/1, and H40/1), together with various limnological methods, including physicochemical depth profiling, surface drifters, deep current measurements, and fecal indicator bacteria analyses, have been applied to characterize water circulation and pathogen transport in the Bay of Vidy (Lake Geneva, Switzerland). The experimental program was carried out twice, first in November 2005, when the lake was stratified, and a second time during holomixis in February 2006. The bacteriophages were injected at three points at different depths, where contaminated waters enter the lake, including the outlet pipe of a wastewater treatment plant, a river, and a stormwater outlet. Thereafter, water samples were collected in the lake at 2 m depth during a 48 h sampling campaign. The results demonstrate that (i) contaminated river water spreads rapidly in the bay; (ii) a well-developed thermocline is highly effective in preventing contamination from the depth to rise up to the surface; (iii) rapid vertical mixing and pathogen transport occur under thermally homogeneous conditions; and (iv) repeated multi-tracertests with bacteriophages are a powerful technique to assess water circulation and contaminant transport in lakes where high dilution occurs.

The impact of a sewage treatment plant's effluent on sediment quality in a small bay in Lake Geneva (Switzerland–France). Part 2: Temporal evolution of heavy metals

AbstractThe Bay of Vidy is the most contaminated area of Lake Geneva, Switzerland, as a result of the release of treated and untreated waste water from the municipal sewage treatment plant of the city of Lausanne and its surroundings. The reconstruction of the historical deposition of heavy metals in the sediment of the bay has been performed by the analysis of several dated (radiocaesium) sediment cores. The presence of sewage‐derived contaminants in the Bay of Vidy since the beginning of the sewage treatment plant's operations in 1964 is clearly observed, when a sharp increase in heavy metal contents is recorded, with maximum concentrations of cadmium, copper, zinc and lead occurring between the late 1960s and early 1970s. Despite considerable improvement in recent times, the present concentrations of the investigated heavy metals in sediments of the Bay of Vidy are still higher than concentrations measured at the centre of the lake, the latter close to Lake Geneva's natural background values. It is concluded that the quantity of heavy metals deposited in the bay is considerable and, because of sediment instability, will constitute a potential hazard for biota.

The impact of a sewage treatment plant's effluent on sediment quality in a small bay in Lake Geneva (Switzerland–France). Part 1: Spatial distribution of contaminants and the potential for biological impacts

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to assess the quality of bottom sediment collected in the Bay of Vidy (Lake Geneva, Switzerland) which receives sewage treatment plant discharges from the city of Lausanne and its surroundings. Thirty‐eight sediment samples were taken, forming a dense network. Samples of that portion of the sediment that has accumulated since phosphorus removal (via iron precipitation) was instituted at the plant in 1971 were analysed for heavy metals, nutrients and organic micropollutants and subjected to Microtox toxicity evaluation (organic extract). The distribution patterns of contaminants, as well as principal components analysis, demonstrated that the sewage treatment plant's effluent is the main source of local sediment contamination. This was not supported by the Microtox results. In close proximity to the outlet pipe of the sewage treatment plant, contaminants showed very high median concentrations for virtually all the parameters measured, at levels above those believed to elicit biological responses. A major environmental impact is clearly occurring in this coastal region of the lake and remediation of this situation is believed to be important in order to protect the Lake Geneva ecosystem.

River, reservoir and lake sediment contamination by heavy metals downstream from urban areas of Switzerland

AbstractThis paper quantifies sediment contamination by heavy metals in four reservoirs and one lake located downstream from major urban areas in Switzerland. The waterbodies include the Wettingen Reservoir (located on the Limmat River downstream from Zürich), the Klingnau Reservoir (on the lower Aare River), the Wohlen Reservoir (downstream from Berne), the Verbois Reservoir (downstream from Geneva) and Vidy Bay (Lake Geneva, city of Lausanne). For all sediment cores and contaminants, a trend is observed from high contaminant values in the lower part of the cores, decreasing to lower concentrations in the upper part of the cores. However, for each site and each element, specific features are recognized. Applying the criteria of the Swiss ordinance on soil protection, all sediment cores must be classified as contaminated by one or more contaminants and at variable levels. From these data, it is concluded that: reservoirs and lakes located downstream from major urban centres in Switzerland have accumulated significant volumes of contaminated sediments in the past, representing the largest, but not the most intensely, contaminated sites on a national scale; the main environmental risk is remobilization of the contaminants and their return to the food chain, particularly by infiltration into the groundwater; and although the processes of remobilization are identified, the conditions of occurrence and the amplitude of the processes are still poorly known. Different options of reservoir and lake sediment management also are discussed and further research topics defined.

Possible evidence for dissimilatory bacterial magnetite dominating the magnetic properties of recent lake sediments

Rock magnetic measurements, including low temperature susceptibility and Curie Temperature experiments, show that the most recent sediments from the Bay of Vidy, close to Lausanne on the north shore of Lake Geneva, Switzerland, are rich in superparamagnetic magnetite. The 137Cs dated increase in magnetite concentration coincides with the beginning of sewage de-phosphatization by the addition of iron chloride. Extracts of fine-grained magnetite, imaged by transmission electron microscopy, form amorphous masses visually comparable to those detected as the product of extracellular magnetite production by bacteria. This is the first indication that extracellular, dissimilatory magnetite may survive and make a dominant contribution to the magnetic properties of sediments. Final confirmation of the bacterial origin of the magnetite will depend on rRNA sequencing.