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EFFECTS OF GROWTH CONDITIONS AND CO-OCCURRING BACTERIA ON BREVETOXIN ACCUMULATION IN GYMNODINIUM BREVE.
Citation:
Kurtz, J C., R M. Greene, M C. Murrell, F J. Genthner, AND C C. Walker. EFFECTS OF GROWTH CONDITIONS AND CO-OCCURRING BACTERIA ON BREVETOXIN ACCUMULATION IN GYMNODINIUM BREVE. Presented at Annual Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, Orlando, FL, May 20 - 24, 2001.
Impact/Purpose:
Conference abstract
Description:
Interstitial water in the swash zone, that area of a beach where waves continuously wash up on the sand, is suspected of accumulating microbes. If pathogens are concentrated in the interstitial water or if they grow, they may pose a health risk, especially for children. This study compared densities of enterococci in the swash zone intersitial water to densities of enterococci in the adjacent bathing water at selected locations along Pensacola Beach, Florida. At each site, water samples were collected from the water column at a depth of 0.5 m, where the depth of the water column was 1.0 m. Swash zone water samples were obtained from holes 50 to 70 cm deep, that were dug in the sand 1.0 to 1.5 m from the shoreline. Enterococci, salinity, temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen and dissolved organic carbon were measured. At all sites, dissolved organic carbon and enterococci densities were higher in the swash zone interstitial water than in the water column. Analysis of paired swash zone/water column enterococci densities indicated that one of six beaches sampled possessed enterococci densities in the interstitial water of the swash zone that were significantly (p<0.05) higher than those in the water column. These data suggest that microbes in the swash zone interstitial water may pose an increased risk to bathers.