Microbial Communities' Characterization in Urban Recreational Surface Waters Using Next Generation Sequencing.

Area of Science:

• Environmental microbiology
• Public health
• Eukaryotic and bacterial community analysis

Background:

• Recreational waters pose public health risks due to potential pathogen contamination.
• Microbial monitoring in Colombian recreational waters, including Bogotá, is infrequent.
• Urban recreational lakes and streams are vital public spaces in Bogotá.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize bacterial and eukaryotic communities in Bogotá's urban recreational lakes and a sewage-contaminated stream.
• To identify potential public health risks associated with microbial communities in these water bodies.
• To provide baseline data for future water quality and public health assessments.

Main Methods:

• Next-generation sequencing of 16S-rRNA and 18S-rRNA genes for microbial community profiling.
• Bioinformatics analysis to identify bacterial and eukaryotic genera.
• Measurement of general water quality parameters (pH, dissolved oxygen, etc.).

Main Results:

• Pathogenic genera (e.g., Legionella, Pseudomonas, Candida) were detected in lake waters.
• A sewage-contaminated stream exhibited high levels of fecal bacteria and low dissolved oxygen.
• Eutrophication-associated algae and toxin-producing cyanobacteria were prevalent in some lakes.
• Timiza lake showed distinct microbial community structure and high pH.

Conclusions:

• Bogotá's urban recreational waters harbor diverse microbial communities, including potential human pathogens.
• The identified pathogens and indicators of contamination pose risks to public health.
• This study highlights the need for regular microbial monitoring of recreational waters in Bogotá.