Microbial Source Tracking at a Tidal River Beach
Location
Atrium
Session Format
Poster Presentation
Research Area Topic:
Natural & Physical Sciences - Environmental Sciences & Sustainability
Co-Presenters and Faculty Mentors or Advisors
Asheley Poole, Bushra Shah, Asli Aslan
Abstract
Kings Ferry Beach is located along the Ogeechee River and is a popular site for recreational activities in Georgia’s coastal waterways. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GADNR) has issued a permanent advisory at this beach due to persistently high numbers of enterococci. In this study, water samples were collected monthly from 14 locations both in and around the beach site. Samples were tested using the same method that the GADNR using for beach monitoring (EPA Method 1600) and a new molecular method (HF183 human marker) using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) to detect sewage as the source of pollution in water. Preliminary findings are based on samples obtained October, November, and December of 2014. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS version 21.
Among 42 samples analyzed from October to December 2014, 66.67% (n=28) of the samples exceeded USEPA beach action value for enterococci (60 CFU/100mL). The enterococci concentrations ranged from 20 to 507 CFU/100 ml. Highest numbers of human marker (HF183) was detected in front of a trailer park (131 CCE/100 ml) and 118 (CCE/100 ml) in front of a storm drain respectively. These points were both located the beach. A regression analysis was performed to compare Enterococci and HF183 concentrations. Results showed that there is a significant difference between Enterococci and HF183 (p
Keywords
Microbial source tracking, Sewage, Quantitative polymerase chain reaction
Presentation Type and Release Option
Presentation (Open Access)
Start Date
4-24-2015 2:45 PM
End Date
4-24-2015 4:00 PM
Recommended Citation
Anderson, Kendall, "Microbial Source Tracking at a Tidal River Beach" (2015). GS4 Georgia Southern Student Scholars Symposium. 100.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/research_symposium/2015/2015/100
Microbial Source Tracking at a Tidal River Beach
Atrium
Kings Ferry Beach is located along the Ogeechee River and is a popular site for recreational activities in Georgia’s coastal waterways. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GADNR) has issued a permanent advisory at this beach due to persistently high numbers of enterococci. In this study, water samples were collected monthly from 14 locations both in and around the beach site. Samples were tested using the same method that the GADNR using for beach monitoring (EPA Method 1600) and a new molecular method (HF183 human marker) using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) to detect sewage as the source of pollution in water. Preliminary findings are based on samples obtained October, November, and December of 2014. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS version 21.
Among 42 samples analyzed from October to December 2014, 66.67% (n=28) of the samples exceeded USEPA beach action value for enterococci (60 CFU/100mL). The enterococci concentrations ranged from 20 to 507 CFU/100 ml. Highest numbers of human marker (HF183) was detected in front of a trailer park (131 CCE/100 ml) and 118 (CCE/100 ml) in front of a storm drain respectively. These points were both located the beach. A regression analysis was performed to compare Enterococci and HF183 concentrations. Results showed that there is a significant difference between Enterococci and HF183 (p
