Faecal Source Tracking Along the Urban Waste Water Path

01.03.2011 - 14.01.2016
Research funding project
Since Robert Koch´s fundamental work more than 100 years ago, microbial water quality testing has been relying on the cultivation of indicator bacteria. However, increasing demand for the ability to precisely describe the nature and extent of faecal contamination of water resources led to recent developments in the field of quantitative microbial faecal source tracking (QMST), as standard faecal indicators do not support faecal sources discrimination. In this respect, host-specific genetic Bacteroidetes 16S rRNA marker (GeBaM) detection, based on quantitative PCR (qPCR), promises unique possibilities for future applications. So far, research has focused on the selection of host-specific GeBaM and the establishment of their respective qPCR detection method. Almost no information is available on the fate of GeBaM once released from the intestinal tract and introduced into aquatic habitats. This lack of information strongly limits the environmental applicability since knowledge on the persistence and resistance of GeBaM in the respective water resource is a crucial requirement for sound QMST. The proposed research project will focus on the fundamental issue of human-specific faecal pollution of water resources in the temperate climatic zone by communal waste water disposal as prevalent in the Austrian and Bavarian region. The outcome of the investigation is going to establish the general knowledge on the quantitative occurrence, persistence, resistance and predictability of GeBaM cells from human sources in aquatic habitats. The following key issues will be addressed in detail: i) quantitative occurrence of general- and human-specific GeBaM (g/h-GeBaM) in raw waste water in respect to population size, type of sewer system, and season, ii) quantitative fate of g/h-GeBaM in comparison to standard and alternative indicators/pathogens during primary and biological waste water treatment with respect to treatment type, treatment conditions and season, iii) fate of g/h-GeBaM in primary and secondary sludge and sludge stabilisation procedures, iv) effect of advanced treatment on g/h-GeBaM abundance (UV, ozone, membrane filtration), v) elucidating the ecological factors which determine the fate of g/h-GeBaM in receiving waters, and finally, vi) establishing a simple model to predict g/h-GeBaM persistence in the water column as a function of season and trophic status of the water body within the temperate climatic zone. The research project is going to investigate a selection of representative waste water treatment plants differing in size and design (e.g. served population from 50 to 4.000.000 population equivalents) and on a number of various receiving water bodies ranging from oligotrophic to eutrophic conditions (including running and stagnant waters). Research collaboration partners were carefully chosen in order to provide highest expertise in the interdisciplinary fields of QMST, health-related water microbiology, conventional and advanced waste water treatment technology. The research outcome is going to provide the scientific basis needed for QMST along the urban water cycle in temperate regions. This foundation will support the integration of source tracking approaches in water resource management and risk assessment, eventually leading to economical as well as public health benefits.

People

Project leader

Project personnel

Institute

Grant funds

  • FWF - Österr. Wissenschaftsfonds (National) Austrian Science Fund (FWF)

Research focus

  • Environmental Monitoring and Climate Adaptation: 50%
  • Efficient Utilisation of Material Resources: 50%

Keywords

GermanEnglish
WasserqualitätWater Quality
Abwasserreinigungwastwater treatment
Molekularbiologische DiagnostikMicrobial Source Tracking
Humane FäkalbelastungMolecular Biological Diagnostics
Mikrobielle HerkunfstnachweiseHuman Faecal Pollution

Publications