Water Quality Of Beaches Research Articles

Indian coastal waters: a concoction of sewage indicator bacteria! An assessment on recreational beaches.

Coastal water quality assessment is important to maintain a healthy environment for various uses including fisheries and recreation. Microbial populations are used as biological indicators of contamination to monitor water quality and are considered by the government to be one of the critical features for issuing safety guidelines. Different bacterial groups (pathogenic, vibrio and faecal) from five major recreational beaches of Chennai, India, were monitored for the assessment of coastal water quality. Faecal coliforms (FC) were high at all the beaches, with up to 4.2 × 105CFU/mL and exceeding the normal standard limits of 100CFU/100mL set by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) of India. Rainfall was found to have a role in the variability and distribution of indicator and pathogenic bacteria. The seasonal dry period witnessed elevated FC, while dilution in the wet period reduced Escherichia coli-like organisms (ECLO). High microbial counts were detected near the beach situated close to the river mouth, mainly due to discharges of untreated domestic sewage and industrial wastes. Similarly, the biological oxygen demand (BOD) was also high, 0.32 to 10.32mg/L. Dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) ranged from 2.21 to 134.53μmol/L and inorganic phosphate (IP) ranged from 0 to 57.53μmol/L. These values indicated the presence of significant untreated sewage in the coastal water. This study revealed that Chennai coastal waters carry high levels of faecal and pathogenic bacteria, detrimental for recreational and other contact activities. The quantitative and qualitative analyses will be useful for modelling and prediction of coastal water quality and management of other recreational beaches in India.

Impact of effluent discharge on recreational beach water quality: a case study of Karachi-Pakistan

The degraded water quality of recreational beaches and associated diseases is a global concern. The discharge of municipal effluents and other wastes has threatened coastal resources irrespective of local authorities colossal investment in their development. Strategic assessment and monitoring of water quality are essential pathways to reduce contaminant level of microbes responsible for waterborne diseases. As in Karachi's case study, two wastewater discharge drains were identified at Sea View, which is famous for recreational activities. These two primary discharge drains contained contaminants, including various pathogens that pollute the marine environment and disturb the ecosystem. The current study aims to assess the water quality along the beach through an in-depth monitoring program lasting from May till September 2020. The assessment focused on total coliform (TC) and faecal coliform (FC) counts; biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) and chemical oxygen demand (COD). Analysis of the results conclude that both discharge drains contained high levels of TC (1600 MPN or CFU per 100 mL of the sample) and FC (203 MPN per 100 mL). Moreover, COD and BOD levels were found to be high (COD 945 mg/L and BOD 410 mg/L). Hence, recreational activity may not be suitable near these discharge drains, indicating their association with high health risks.

Probabilistic assessment of the water quality of bathing beaches on the Taiwanese coast using indicator-based geostatistics with one-dimensional cyclic coordinates

Because Taiwan is a subtropical island, many pleasure beaches are situated on its coast. However, according to long-term monitoring data, fecal contamination at Taiwanese coastal beaches frequently exceeds the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines. To avoid public health hazards, mapping the spatial extent of this contamination is crucial. This study applied indicator kriging (IK) to probabilistically assess the water quality of bathing beaches on the Taiwanese coast. Moreover, because the discontinuity of the traditional Cartesian coordinate established on an island coastline is difficult for geostatistical estimates, this study proposed a novel kriging estimation approach to deal with this problem. First, a one-dimensional (1-D) cyclic coordinate system of the Taiwanese coast was established using primary and secondary coordinates at each beach site. Escherichia coli (E. coli) and enterococci concentrations at coastal beaches were converted into indicator variables according to the U.S. EPA guidelines. IK was then used to spatially model the occurrence probabilities that exceeded the U.S. EPA guidelines for E. coli and enterococci. Finally, the water quality of bathing beaches on the Taiwanese coast was classified on the basis of the estimated probabilities. The study results indicated that bathing on the central western, northeastern, and southeastern Taiwanese coasts poses a potential threat to human health caused by high levels of fecal contamination. Moreover, primary and secondary coordinates established at beach sites were capable of analyzing the spatial variability and kriging estimates of the 1-D cyclic coordinates along the coastline.

Water Quality Evolution of Rio de Janeiro City Beaches

Rio de Janeiro city is famous worldwide for its beaches. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze the monitoring of water quality data, since the pollution is a risk to the population health. It was made a temporal evolution analysis of the recreational water quality of Rio de Janeiro city main beaches. Thermotolerant Coliforms’ (TtC) data collected by the Instituto Estadual do Ambiente (INEA) from 1995 to 2015 were related with the CONAMA 274/2000 Resolution limits criteria. It was observed that Barra da Tijuca western portion, Leblon, Ipanema, Arpoador, Copacabana, Leme, Vermelha and Urca beaches showed an overall improvement of their water quality conditions over the analyzed period. Sao Conrado and the eastern corner of Barra da Tijuca beach have shown worsening. Joatinga beach remained stable. Flamengo and Botafogo beaches showed variable conditions over time, but always presenting poor water quality conditions. It was verified that the determining factors for a beach having inappropriate water quality were the existence of canals that dump sewage and urban runoffs. Another relevant factor was the location of beaches within the confined and polluted waters of Guanabara Bay. This study can be used as a useful tool for a more efficient management for urban beaches. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17807/orbital.v10i4.1072

Statistical assessment of seafront and beach water quality of Mumbai, India

The water quality of seafronts and beaches of Mumbai is under pressure and deteriorating due to discharge of partially treated sewage and wastewater through point and nonpoint sources. The objective of the study was to assess the water quality and to correlate physico-chemical and bacteriological parameters for establishing relationship, association and dependence on each other. The water quality parameters were selected as per SW II standards specified by Central Pollution Control Board, India and nutrient parameters as strong indicators of sewage pollution. Box and whisker plots were generated for evaluating spatio temporal variation of water quality which suggest influence of organic pollution mostly at Mahim and Dadar in the form of outliers and extremes. Pearson's correlations were estimated between parameters and found significant correlation with each other indicating influence of sewage on water quality. The water quality of beaches and seafronts were found unsafe for recreational purposes. The study suggested that designated water quality can be achieved by restricting nonpoint source through improvement in wastewater collection systems, appropriate level of treatment and proper disposal.

Heterotrophic bacteria abundances in Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)

The Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon (RJ, Brazil) is an important coastal ecosystem that has been submitted to an accelerated degradation process. The aim of this work was to determine the abundance and the spatial distribution of total heterotrophic (by flow cytometry) and cultivated bacteria ("pour plate" method on R2A agar). Another objective was to evaluate the lagoon's influence on water quality of Ipanema and Leblon beaches. Physical and chemical data were acquired too. Sub-superficial water samples were taken monthly, from December 1999 to October 2000. On lagoon, the cultivated bacteria abundance varied from 6.9x10(5) to 5.0x10(7) CFU.100 mL-1. On Ipanema and Leblon beaches, this parameter yielded 1.4x10(5) and 2.8x10(6) CFU.100 mL-1, respectively. Total bacterial abundance varied from 2.9x10(7) to 3.2x10(7) cells.mL-1 on lagoon. On Ipanema and Leblon, this parameter yielded 8.7x10(6) and 1.1x10(7) cells.mL-1, respectively. Two sub-groups were determined with dominance of HNA cells. Samples were added latter to better understand the bacteria present on these environments. Bacterial abundance were analyzed only by flow cytometry and the results varied from 8.3x10(6) to 2.5x10(7) cells.mL-1 on lagoon. On the beach, this parameter yielded 6.9x10(6) cells. mL-1. Two bacterial sub-groups were also observed, with dominance of HNA on lagoon and LNA on the beach. The results showed that the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon is an eutrophic ecosystem where the bacterial populations and the physical and chemical parameters do not differ spatially. The data also confirmed that the outflow of the lagoon's polluted waters affect the sanitary conditions of Ipanema and Leblon beaches.

Quantitative Detection of Hepatitis A Virus and Enteroviruses Near the United States-Mexico Border and Correlation with Levels of Fecal Indicator Bacteria

For decades, untreated sewage flowing northward from Tijuana, Mexico, via the Tijuana River has adversely affected the water quality of the recreational beaches of San Diego, California. We used quantitative reverse transcription-PCR to measure the levels of hepatitis A virus (HAV) and enteroviruses in coastal waters near the United States-Mexico border and compared these levels to those of the conventional fecal indicators, Escherichia coli and enterococci. Over a 2-year period from 2003 to 2005, a total of 20 samples were assayed at two sites during both wet and dry weather: the surfzone at the mouth of the Tijuana River and the surfzone near the pier at Imperial Beach (IB), California (about 2 km north of the mouth of the Tijuana River). HAV and enterovirus were detected in 79 and 93% of the wet-weather samples, respectively. HAV concentrations in these samples ranged from 105 to 30,771 viral particles/liter, and enterovirus levels ranged from 7 to 4,417 viral particles/liter. The concentrations of HAV and enterovirus were below the limit of detection for all dry weather samples collected at IB. Regression analyses showed a significant correlation between the densities of both fecal bacterial indicators and the levels of HAV (R2>0.61, P<0.0001) and enterovirus (R2>0.70, P<0.0001), a finding that supports the use of conventional bacterial indicators to predict the levels of these viruses in recreational marine waters.

Persistence of fecal indicator bacteria in Santa Monica Bay beach sediments

Monitoring the water quality of recreational beaches is only one step toward understanding microbial contamination—the primary cause of beach closings. The surf zone sediment reservoir is typically overlooked and may also be important. This study involved monitoring the fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) levels in water and sediment at three ocean beaches (two exposed and one enclosed) during a storm event, conducting laboratory microcosm experiments with sediment from these beaches, and surveying sediment FIB levels at 13 beaches (some exposed and some enclosed). Peaks in Escherichia coli and enterococci concentrations in water and sediment coincided with storm activity at the two exposed beaches, while levels of both FIB were consistently high and irregular at the enclosed beach. Results from microcosm experiments showing similar, dramatic growth of FIB in both overlying water and sediment from all beaches, as well as results from the beach survey, support the hypothesis that the quiescent environment rather than sediment characteristics can explain the elevated sediment FIB levels observed at enclosed beaches. This work has implications for the predictive value of FIB measurements, and points to the importance of the sediment reservoir.

Epidemiological Study of Beach Water Pollution and Health-Related Bathing Water Standards in Hong Kong

A prospective epidemiological study was undertaken in Hong Kong in 1987, in which 18,741 usable responses were obtained. It showed bathing in the coastal beaches of Hong Kong poses an increased risk of developing gastrointestinal, ear, eye, skin, respiratory and total illness. Swimmers immersed in the more polluted beach waters are exposed to a significantly higher risk of contracting swimming-associated gastrointestinal, skin, respiratory and total illness. E. coli was found to be the best indicator for swimming-associated gastroenteritis and skin symptoms amongst the bathers, and a linear relationship could be established. Staphylococci was a good indicator for ear, respiratory and total illness, and should be used in complementary to E. coli. Beach water quality objectives for both E. coli and staphylococci have been proposed. A 4-tier classification system (rather than a single acceptability criterion) based on swimming-associated health risks has been developed for the beaches of Hong Kong. Information on the bacterial water quality and health risk levels of individual beaches is reported to the public both annually and fortnightly, so that beach-goers can choose where to go for swimming based on health effects data.