TY - JOUR
T1 - Human and animal microbial source tracking in a tropical river with multiple land use activities
AU - Kongprajug, Akechai
AU - Chyerochana, Natcha
AU - Somnark, Pornjira
AU - Leelapanang Kampaengthong, Pinida
AU - Mongkolsuk, Skorn
AU - Sirikanchana, Kwanrawee
N1 - Funding Information:
The Thailand Research Fund is gratefully acknowledged for their financial support under contract no. SRI5930305. Ms. Chuthamas Phongphila is thanked for her assistance with the sample processing.
Funding Information:
The Thailand Research Fund is gratefully acknowledged for their financial support under contract no. SRI5930305 . Ms. Chuthamas Phongphila is thanked for her assistance with the sample processing.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 Elsevier GmbH
PY - 2019/5
Y1 - 2019/5
N2 - The enhancement and restoration of the water quality of deteriorating surface water resources can be challenging, particularly for rivers with multiple usages, such as agriculture, animal husbandry, human residence, and industries. Recently, the performance of DNA-based microbial source tracking (MST) indicators detected by end-point and quantitative PCR assays for identifying sources of fecal pollution from human sewage, swine, and cattle and non-host-specific (universal) fecal pollution in the Tha Chin River basin, Thailand, was evaluated. The present study monitored these validated MST markers and various physicochemical and microbial water quality parameters in samples collected from twelve stations along the Tha Chin River during four sampling events in the wet and dry seasons. No significant difference in precipitation was observed between the wet and dry samplings. Universal markers (both PCR and qPCR) were detected in all 48 samples, indicating persistent and continuing fecal contamination. The sewage- and swine-specific qPCR marker concentrations did not vary among the sampling events, whereas cattle-specific qPCR markers were detected only in the wet season. Animal-specific markers were detected in the lower Tha Chin River section, which is characterized by intensive animal farming. Sewage-specific markers were also found in the lower section and near an upstream residential area. The high agreement (87.5–100%) between the PCR and qPCR results suggested that PCR could serve as a lower-cost MST screening test that requires less technical expertise. A multivariate analysis conducted using the survival analysis procedure to include censored data also emphasized the high pollution in the lower section of the river at all sampling events. Universal and swine-specific markers showed moderate correlations with microbial indicators, including total coliforms, fecal coliforms, E. coli, and enterococci. None of the MST markers or microbial parameters were associated with the measured physicochemical parameters. This study provides the first evaluation of MST markers for monitoring surface freshwater in Thailand, and the findings might aid the pollution surveillance of impaired water bodies and the development of strategies for improving their water quality.
AB - The enhancement and restoration of the water quality of deteriorating surface water resources can be challenging, particularly for rivers with multiple usages, such as agriculture, animal husbandry, human residence, and industries. Recently, the performance of DNA-based microbial source tracking (MST) indicators detected by end-point and quantitative PCR assays for identifying sources of fecal pollution from human sewage, swine, and cattle and non-host-specific (universal) fecal pollution in the Tha Chin River basin, Thailand, was evaluated. The present study monitored these validated MST markers and various physicochemical and microbial water quality parameters in samples collected from twelve stations along the Tha Chin River during four sampling events in the wet and dry seasons. No significant difference in precipitation was observed between the wet and dry samplings. Universal markers (both PCR and qPCR) were detected in all 48 samples, indicating persistent and continuing fecal contamination. The sewage- and swine-specific qPCR marker concentrations did not vary among the sampling events, whereas cattle-specific qPCR markers were detected only in the wet season. Animal-specific markers were detected in the lower Tha Chin River section, which is characterized by intensive animal farming. Sewage-specific markers were also found in the lower section and near an upstream residential area. The high agreement (87.5–100%) between the PCR and qPCR results suggested that PCR could serve as a lower-cost MST screening test that requires less technical expertise. A multivariate analysis conducted using the survival analysis procedure to include censored data also emphasized the high pollution in the lower section of the river at all sampling events. Universal and swine-specific markers showed moderate correlations with microbial indicators, including total coliforms, fecal coliforms, E. coli, and enterococci. None of the MST markers or microbial parameters were associated with the measured physicochemical parameters. This study provides the first evaluation of MST markers for monitoring surface freshwater in Thailand, and the findings might aid the pollution surveillance of impaired water bodies and the development of strategies for improving their water quality.
KW - Bacteroidales
KW - Fecal indicators
KW - Microbial source tracking
KW - PCR
KW - qPCR
KW - Water quality monitoring
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85060339603&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ijheh.2019.01.005
DO - 10.1016/j.ijheh.2019.01.005
M3 - Article
C2 - 30686524
AN - SCOPUS:85060339603
SN - 1438-4639
VL - 222
SP - 645
EP - 654
JO - INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYGIENE AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
JF - INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYGIENE AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
IS - 4
ER -
