Grantee Research Project Results

2004 Progress Report: Evaluating Microbial Indicators and Health Risks Associated with Bank Filtration

EPA Grant Number: R829785
Title: Evaluating Microbial Indicators and Health Risks Associated with Bank Filtration
Investigators: Frost, Floyd
Institution: Lovelace Clinic Foundation
EPA Project Officer: Page, Angela
Project Period: July 1, 2002 through July 31, 2005 (Extended to June 30, 2006)
Project Period Covered by this Report: July 1, 2003 through July 31, 2004
Project Amount: $524,840
RFA: Microbial Risk in Drinking Water (2001) RFA Text |  Recipients Lists
Research Category: Drinking Water , Human Health , Water

Objective:

The objectives of this research project are to: (1) identify approaches to collecting sera from similar populations in different geographic locations so that rates of serological responses can be compared; (2) pilot test the approach in three different geographical locations, collecting sera from cities that use bank filtration and nearby cities that use high-quality groundwater for a drinking water source; (3) analyze the sera for serological responses to Cryptosporidium and Giardia antigens and compare the frequency and intensity of responses between the bank filtration cities and the groundwater cities; and (4) compare serological responses in the same cities at times when bank filtration efficacy is likely to be optimal and when it is likely to be least effective.

Sera from 50 people from each of three communities (users of bank filtered and chlorinated, bank filtered plus direct filtration plus ozonation, and chlorinated groundwater) will be collected at baseline and at five follow-up blood draws. A questionnaire on risk factors will be collected at each blood draw. Sera will be tested for the presence of antibody responses to two Cryptosporidium antigens (15/17 kDa and 27 kDa) and for serological changes (seroconversion). The baseline level of serological responses as well as the rates of seroconversion will be compared for each population (50 baseline and 250 periods for estimating rates of seroconversion). Comparisons will adjust for collected risk factor data from each individual. For purposes of extrapolating these results to other locations, a series of source and finished water quality indicators will be measured for each water source.

Progress Summary:

Four of the six blood draws have been completed. Ten additional subjects have been recruited for the second half of the study in the control community to balance the loss of eight subjects. The collection of data for the distribution survey analysis has begun and should be completed by April 2005.

Future Activities:

We will complete the last blood draws in November 2004. Data entry protocols have been developed and implemented for data entry of the questionnaires. Sample analysis will commence once all of the samples are collected because the analysis of each subject’s samples will be on the same Western blot. We also will initiate the distribution systems analysis.

Supplemental Keywords:

water, exposure assessment, Midwest, EPA Region 7, health, waste, contaminated sediments, environmental microbiology, hydrology, Giardia, drinking water, environmental chemistry, risk assessments, aquifer characteristics, Clostridium, contaminated sediment, Cryptosporidium, disinfection byproducts, DBPs, drinking water contaminants, drinking water distribution system, drinking water treatment, ecological risk assessment, exposure, exposure and effects, groundwater disinfection, human exposure, human health risk, microbial contamination, microbial risk assessment, microbiological organisms, monitoring, particle counts, pathogens, river water, riverbank filtration, treatment, water quality parameters, water treatment,, RFA, Health, Scientific Discipline, PHYSICAL ASPECTS, Geographic Area, Water, Waste, Physical Processes, EPA Region, Risk Assessments, Environmental Chemistry, Contaminated Sediments, Environmental Microbiology, Midwest, Drinking Water, Environmental Monitoring, clostridium, microbial contamination, river water , treatment, contaminated sediment, ecological risk assessment, bank filtration, water quality, microbial risk assessment, microbiological organisms, water quality parameters, human exposure, Region 7, groundwater disinfection, pathogens, monitoring, microbial indicators, drinking water contaminants, drinking water treatment, water treatment, exposure, Giardia, waterborne disease, particle counts, disinfection byproducts, cryptosporidium , disinfection byproducts (DPBs), human health risk, aquifer characteristics, drinking water distribution system, riverbank filtration, exposure and effects

Relevant Websites:

http://www.lrri.org/staff/directoryofscientists/frost.html Exit

Progress and Final Reports:

Original Abstract

2003 Progress Report

2005 Progress Report

Final Report