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The relationship between environmental parameters and microbial water quality at two Costa Rican beaches from 2002 to
Abdiel E Laureano-Rosario1, Erin M Symonds1, Adriana González-Fernández2
1College of Marine Science, University of South Florida, Saint Petersburg, FL 33701, USA.
Marine Pollution Bulletin
|January 13, 2021
Summary
Environmental factors like precipitation and wave height significantly impact fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) levels in Costa Rican recreational waters. Understanding these relationships is key for assessing water quality and public health risks.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Microbiology
- Water Quality Management
Background:
- Recreational water quality is routinely assessed using fecal indicator bacteria (FIB).
- Environmental conditions are known to influence FIB levels, affecting public health advisories.
- Long-term data analysis is crucial for understanding complex environmental-bacterial interactions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationships between various environmental parameters and FIB levels at Puntarenas and Jacó beaches in Costa Rica over 15 years.
- To identify key environmental drivers influencing fecal coliform and enterococci concentrations.
- To assess the predictive power of environmental factors on FIB variability for water quality management.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 15 years of environmental data (sea level, wave height, precipitation, DNI, wind, turbidity) and FIB data.
- Application of Pearson's correlations to identify time lags (24-96 hours) between environmental factors and FIB.
- Development of multiple linear regression models to explain FIB variability using environmental parameters.
Main Results:
- Precipitation, sea level anomalies, and wave height were the most frequent predictors of FIB variability.
- Environmental models explained 17-27% of fecal coliform and 12-27% of enterococci variability across both beaches.
- Significant differences in environmental conditions were observed 24 hours prior to FIB threshold exceedances.
- Unexpected interactions between FIB and direct normal irradiance (DNI), sea level, and turbidity were noted.
Conclusions:
- Environmental factors, particularly precipitation and wave dynamics, significantly influence recreational water quality indicators in tropical beach environments.
- While environmental parameters explain a portion of FIB variability, further research is needed to elucidate complex interactions, including those with DNI and turbidity.
- Findings underscore the importance of integrating environmental monitoring into water quality management strategies for public health protection.
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