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MICROBES, MONITORING AND HUMAN HEALTH
Citation:
DUFOUR, A. P. AND L. J. WYMER. MICROBES, MONITORING AND HUMAN HEALTH. OCEANOGRAPHY. Oceanography Society, Rockville, MD, 19(2):72-80, (2006).
Impact/Purpose:
The objectives of this research are: (1) to evaluate rapid state-of-the-art measuement methods of pathogens that may indicate the presence of fecal pollution in recreational waters (beaches); (2) to obtain, jointly with a sister laboratory (NHEERL), a new set of water quality data and related health effects data at a variety of beaches across the U.S., in both marine and non-marine waters; (3) to analyze the research data set to evaluate the utility of the tested measurement methods, the new EMPACT monitoring protocol, and the health effects data / questionnaire, in order to establish a relationship between measured pathogens and observed health effects; and (4) to communicate the results to the Office of Water in support of their efforts to develop new state and/or federal guidelines and limits for water quality indicators of fecal contamination, so that beach managers and public health officials can alert the public about the potential health hazards before exposure to unsafe water can occur.
Description:
There are about 20,000 wastewater treatment plants in the United States. These plants discharge about 50 trillion gallons of wastewater daily into the nation's surface waters. Most wastewater contains human feces, which are a potential source of microbial pathogens. Pathogens that may be found in the sewage include bacteria, viruses, and protozoa. All of these microorganisms are transmitted via the fecal-oral route; therefore, if wastewater is discharged to surface waters, they pose a health risk to anyone who comes in contact with the water or who consumes food harvested from the water. The potential risks that are associated with wastewater make disposal and control of wastewater a significant public health issue.