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Related Experiment Video

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Unraveling the Unseen Players in the Ocean - A Field Guide to Water Chemistry and Marine Microbiology

Unraveling the Unseen Players in the Ocean - A Field Guide to Water Chemistry and Marine Microbiology

Published on: November 5, 2014

Spatial and temporal variation in indicator microbe sampling is influential in beach management decisions.

Amber A Enns¹, Laura J Vogel, Amir M Abdelzaher

¹University of Miami, NSF NIEHS Oceans and Human Health Center, Miami, FL 33149, USA.

|February 28, 2012

Summary

Beach water quality monitoring using enterococci (fecal indicator microbes) is influenced by environmental factors and sampling methods. Enterococci levels do not reliably predict the presence of Staphylococcus aureus, impacting public health decisions.

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Area of Science:

Environmental microbiology
Public health
Recreational water quality

Background:

Fecal indicator microbes like enterococci are used to assess beach health risks.
Microbial levels can fluctuate based on sampling time and location.
Environmental factors significantly influence indicator microbe concentrations.

Purpose of the Study:

To determine how spatial and temporal variations in sample collection, influenced by environmental parameters, affect enterococci measurements and beach management.
To evaluate if enterococci levels can predict the presence of Staphylococcus aureus, a skin pathogen.

Main Methods:

Collected hydrometeorologic, hydrodynamic, bather density, enterococci, and Staphylococcus aureus (including MRSA) data over ten days.
Sampled water and sand hourly at knee-depth, and water at waist-depth, supratidal, intertidal, and waterline sand every 6 hours.
Measured environmental parameters including solar radiation, tides, and rainfall.

Main Results:

Solar radiation, tides, and rainfall were identified as key environmental factors affecting enterococci levels.
Staphylococcus aureus levels correlated with bather load but not with enterococci or other measured parameters.
Spatial and temporal variations in enterococci levels were significant due to environmental influences.

Conclusions:

Beach advisory frequency is heavily dependent on sampling policies due to the spatial and temporal variability of enterococci.
Sampling at different times and depths can substantially impact beach management decisions.
The lack of correlation between enterococci and S. aureus suggests fecal indicators may not accurately assess risks for all pathogens.