Transcript U.Miami Research and the Ambient Water Module Helena Solo-Gabriele, Ph.D., P.E. Associate Professor University of Miami, College of Engineering Plus.

U.Miami Research and the
Ambient Water Module
Helena Solo-Gabriele, Ph.D., P.E.
Associate Professor
University of Miami, College of Engineering
Plus
Introduction
• Recreational waters are regulated through
microbial measurements
• Usually a surrogate microbe is used to
indicate the presence of pathogens
Healthy Person
Release Non-Pathogenic
Microbes in Feces
(Indicator Microbes)
Sick Person with GI
Illness X
Sick Person with GI
Illness Y
Release Non-Pathogenic
Release Non-Pathogenic
Microbes in Feces + Pathogens Microbes in Feces + Pathogens
Associated with Illness X
Associated with Illness Y
Ideal Characteristics of Indicator
Microbe
• Found in sewage and in the feces of
humans in large quantities
• Survival characteristics in environment
similar to that of the pathogens
• Non-pathogenic in itself
• Cocci, Gram+
• Rods, Gram+,
spore forming,
obligate
anaerobe
• Rods, Gram-
enterococci
US EPA
C. perfringens
Hawaii
Total Coliform
FDEP
Fecal Coliform
E. coli
Non-fecal
Coliform
Florida Dept of Health
Entero & fecal coliform
Indicator
Microbe
Guidelines
Developed By:
E. coli
126/100 ml (GM, fresh)
USEPA (1986)
Enterococci
35/100 ml (GM,
fresh/salt)
USEPA (1986)
FDOH(present)
Fecal Coliform
200/100 ml
USEPA (1976)
FDEP
Total Coliform
1000/100 ml
USEPA (1976)
FDEP
C. perfringens
5/100 ml or 50/100 ml
Suggested in
Hawaii
GM=Geometric Mean
Indicator
Microbe
Guidelines
Developed By:
E. coli
126/100 ml (GM, fresh)
USEPA (1986)
Enterococci
35/100 ml (GM,
fresh/salt)
USEPA (1986)
FDOH(present)
Fecal Coliform
200/100 ml
USEPA (1976)
FDEP
Total Coliform
1000/100 ml
USEPA (1976)
FDEP
C. perfringens
5/100 ml or 50/100 ml
Suggested in
Hawaii
GM=Geometric Mean
The
Scenario
Force Main Break
Site 8, Hobie Beach
T = Total Coliform (1000)
F = Fecal Coliform (200)
E = Enterococci (35)
Site 8
Research at Hobie Beach
Preface
• Use of indicator microbes has helped
protect public health. Point-sources of
sewage.
• Does it work 100% of the time?
• Can we improve upon existing monitoring
methodologies?
Organization of Presentation
• Background – Prior studies at Hobie Beach
• Interim results from current on-going study
• Future work
Background
• Change in EPA guidelines prompted
evaluation of multiple indicators
– total/fecal coliform  enterococci/E. coli
• EPA studies conducted in NY, MA, and LA
(marine) & PA, OK (fresh). Point sources
• Environmental factors influence
persistence and possible regrowth of
indicator microbes
Background (con’d)
Hours After Autosampler Initiation
24
1
48
72
96
120
144
1.8
Rain
Autosampler 2
Autosampler 1
3000
1.6
1.4
1.2
1.0
2000
0.8
Rain (inches)
E.coli Conc. (MPN/100ml)
4000
168
2.0
0.6
1000
0.4
0.2
0.0
Data from a tidally-Influenced brackish river in Ft. Lauderdale (Solo-Gabriele 2000)
2000
Hours After Autosampler Initiation
24
1
48
72
96
120
144
168
2.0
1.8
3000
1.6
1.4
1.2
1.0
2000
0.8
0.6
1000
0.4
0.2
0.0
1600
Autosampler 2
Autosampler 1
H
L
H
L
H
L
Indicator Microbe Concentrations
Correlated With Tides
Max concentration at HIGH tide
indicates that contamination from
within the river
Your text
high tide
low tide
2000
1800
Rain (inches)
Rain
Autosampler 2
Autosampler 1
E.coli Conc. (MPN/100ml)
E.coli Conc. (MPN/100ml)
4000
H
L
1400
Suspect that wetting and drying
cycles play a factor in regrowth
1200
1000
800
600
Highly organic soil and shallow
embankment
400
200
0
120
132
144
156
Hours After Autosampler Initiation
168
Enterococci Concentration (MPN/100mL)
106
105
Background (con’d)
600 ml RW +
60 g sterile soil
104
60 ml RW + 540 sterile DI
+ 60 g sterile soil
103
Control
RW, No Soil Added
102
600 ml RW + 10 g sterile soil
101
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Time (hr)
600mL River
Water
(Control)
600mL River
Water + 10g
Soil
600mL River
Water + 50 g
Soil
60mL River
Water + 540
mL Sterile
Water + 50 g
Soil
600mL Sterile
Water + 50 g
Soil (Sterile
Control)
Goal: New Beach Study
• Evaluate relationship between human health
and the physical and microbial characteristics of
a coastal water
Study Site and Pilot Data
Study Site: Hobie Beach, Biscayne Bay
H1
Hobie
Beach
H2
U.Miami Marine School
Sites
Enterococci
E. coli
Fecal
coliform
Total
Coliform
C.
perfringens
H1
Moderate
Moderate
Good
Poor
Poor
H2
Poor
Poor
Good
Poor
Poor
Study Site
Hobie
Beach
0
27
10
50
25
50
50
0
10
8
30
6
Hobie Beach
U.Miami Marine School
Enterococci during High Tide Period
11
Enterococci during Low Tide Period
6
Preliminary pilot
epidemiologic study
found no significant
association between
health effects and
microbe concentrations
•N = 208 (small)
•Individual exposures variable
Environmental Monitoring
for Hobie Beach Revisited
–Transect work during high and low tide
–Intensive sediment sampling
–Continuous sampling hourly for 48 hours
Transects
Buoy J
Buoy K
Knee or Middle
Buoy L
Hobie
Beach
Buoy
Transect Work - Water
High Tide
1000
Enterococci
(CFU/100 ml )
Knee
100
Middle
Buoy
n=5
High Tide
10
1
0.1
J
K
Transect
L
Low Tide
1000
Enterococci
(CFU/100 ml)
Knee
Buoy
100
Low Tide
10
n=4
1
0.1
J
K
Transect
L
Enterococci (CFU/g)
Transect Work - Sand
High Tide
1000
Dry
n=5
100
High Tide
10
1
J
K
Transect
L
Low Tide
1000
Enterococci (CFU/g)
Intertidal
n=3
or 4
Dry
Intertidal
100
Low Tide
10
1
J
K
Transect
L
TSS = 100 mg/L
increase enterococci level
by 1 CFU/100 ml
~400 CFU/ml
~100 CFU/ml
~1 CFU/ml water
Inter-tidal
Zone
Intensive Sand
Sampling
Samples Collected
Under Water
60
1000000
CFU/g
CFU/100ml pore water
100000
50
10000
40
1000
30
100
20
10
10
1
0
350
300
250
Enterococci (CFU/g)
Enterococci (CFU/100 ml pore water)
Dry
Sand
-50
0
Samples Collected
Distance from Water Line (ft)
Above Water
Samples Collected Under Water
200
150
100
50
11:00 AM
8:30 AM
1000
1.5
100
1.0
0.5
10
Enterococci
0.0
midnight
1
-0.5
Tidal Height (ft msl)
RAIN
6:30 AM
4:30 AM
2:30 AM
12:30 AM
noon
10:30 PM
RAIN
8:30 PM
6:30 PM
4:30 PM
LIGHT
RAIN
2:30 PM
12:30 PM
Sunlight
Effects??
10:30 AM
8:30 AM
6:30 AM
4:30 AM
2:30 AM
HEAVY
RAIN
12:30 AM
10:30 PM
10000
8:30 PM
6:30 PM
4:30 PM
2:30 PM
12:30 PM
10:30 AM
MPN/100mL
48-Hour Sampling - Water
Water samples
RAIN
2.5
Tidal Height
2.0
Runoff Samples
CFU/100 ml Total Coliform Fecal Coliform Enterococci
Geo. Mean
77,800
24,800
9,900
Arith. Avg.
95,700
37,700
14,500
Std. Dev.
77,000
49,000
13,400
Min
33,000
5,000
2,000
Max
250,000
164,000
49,000
Summary
• Source of microbes is from inter-tidal zone
and dry sediments near inter-tidal zone
• Dominant Factors:
Tidal Stage and Rain
• Microbes from pore water to water column
Studies By Other Groups
• Nova University (Rogerson et al)
– Ft. Lauderdale, Hollywood, & Hobie Beach
(similar findings and observed significance of dry sand)
• U. Hawaii (Fujioka et al)
• U. Puerto Rico (Hazen/Toranzos)
The Big Question
• Are enterococci that persist in the
environment an indicator of health effects?
(sub/tropical environments with non-point sources)
Research Needs
• Do environmentally persistent enterococci
levels correlate with:
– Pathogens?
– Human health?
Wang, U.Miami Marine School
Rankey, U.Miami Marine School
Elmir, Miami-Dade DOH
Solo-Gabriele, U.Miami Engineering/Marine
Future Work
Fleming, U.Miami Marine/Med School
Fleisher, Nova University
Backer, Centers of Disease Control
Hydrodynamic/Water Quality
Model
Epidemiologic Study
Environmental Monitoring
(indicators & pathogens)
Solo-Gabriele, U.Miami Engineering/Marine
Elmir, Miami-Dade DOH
Palmer, U.Florida
Goodwin, NOAA
Innovation in
Environmental Monitoring
(Luminex)
Fell/Baums, U.Miami Marine
Goodwin, NOAA
Thanks to Sampling Team!
Not Shown: Chris Sinigalliano, Krystal Anson, Anthony Logan, Amy Omae, Nick Heybeck,
Caitlin Feikle, Gene Rankey, Helena Solo-Gabriele, Samir Elmir
Not Shown (Add’l Support): Lora Fleming, Sharon Smith, Jack Fell/Adel Tallman, Angel
Li, Lilian Custals/Joe Prospero, Pat Walsh
Thanks to our funding agencies
• City of Ft. Lauderdale
• Pilot Work:
– NIEHS- U.Miami, MFBSC
– Miami-Dade Dept. of Health
• NSF-NIEHS Oceans and Human Health
Program (P50 ES12736-01)
• Thanks to IDEXX for donating supplies
Indicator Microbes:
• Needs to be implemented to protect
against point-source sewage
• Questions raised about meaning in
sub/tropical environments
characterized by environmental nonpoint sources
Questions?