Differentiating Sources of Fecal Contamination to Wilderness Waters Using Droplet Digital PCR and Fecal Indicator Bacteria Methods
Human activity in wilderness areas has the potential to affect aquatic ecosystems, including through the introduction of microorganisms associated with fecal contamination. We examined fecal microorganism contamination in water sources (lake outlets, snowmelt streams) in the popular Absaroka Beartoo...
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Veröffentlicht in: | Wilderness & environmental medicine 2021-09, Vol.32 (3), p.332-339 |
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Zusammenfassung: | Human activity in wilderness areas has the potential to affect aquatic ecosystems, including through the introduction of microorganisms associated with fecal contamination. We examined fecal microorganism contamination in water sources (lake outlets, snowmelt streams) in the popular Absaroka Beartooth Wilderness in the United States. Although the region is remote, increasing human visitation has the potential to negatively affect water quality, with particular concern about human-derived microorganism fecal contaminants.
We used standard fecal indicator bacterial assays that quantified total coliform bacteria and Escherichia coli concentrations, together with more specific polymerase chain reaction-based microbial assays that identified possible human sources of fecal microorganisms in these waters.
Total coliforms were detected at all lake outlets (21 of 21 sites), and E coli was detected at 11 of 21 sites. Droplet digital polymerase chain reaction assays revealed the presence of human feces-derived microorganisms, albeit at abundances below the limit of detection ( |
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ISSN: | 1080-6032 1545-1534 |
DOI: | 10.1016/j.wem.2021.04.007 |