Citation:

Williams**, M M., J W. Santo Domingo*, M Meckes*, C A. Kelty*, AND H. Rochon. PHYLOGENETIC DIVERSITY IN DRINKING WATER BACTERIA IN A DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM SIMULATOR. A. Gilmour (ed.), JOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY. Blackwell Publishing, Malden, MA, 96(5):954-964, (2004).

Description:

This work was carried out to characterize the composition of microbial populations in a distribution system simulator (DSS) by direct sequence analysis of 16S rDNA clone libraries. Bacterial populations were examined in chlorinated distribution water and chloraminated DSS feed and discharge water. Bacterial strains isolated on R2A medium were also identified using 16S rDNA sequence analysis. The majority of the bacteria identified were alpha proteobacteria, ranging from approximately 34% in the DSS discharge water, to 94% of the DSS isolates. Species richness estimators Chao1 and ACE (abundance-based coverage estimators) indicated that the chlorinated distribution water sample was representative of the total population diversity, while the chloraminated pipe loop feed water sample was dominated by Hyphomicrobium sp. sequences. The pipe loop discharge water contained the greatest diversity of alpha, beta, gamma proteobacteria, with 36% of the sequences being operational taxonomic units (OTUs, sequences with >97.0% homology). This work demonstrated the dominance of alpha proteobacteria in distribution system water under two different disinfectant residuals. The shift from chlorine to monochloramine residual may play a role in bacterial population dynamics. Accurate identification of bacterial present in treated drinking water is needed in order to better determine the risk of regrowth of potentially pathogenic organisms within distribution systems.

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