Microbial Contamination in Urban Marine Sediments: Source Identification Using Microbial Community Analysis and Fecal Indicator Bacteria.

ABSTRACT: We investigated the presence of the fecal indicator bacteria Escherichia coli, and other taxa associated with sewage communities in coastal sediments, near beaches with reported poor bathing water quality, focusing on the influence of effluent from a local wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and combined sewer overflows (CSO). Using a three-year dataset, we found that treated wastewater effluent is a significant source of sewage-associated taxa and viable E. coli in the sediments and that no seasonal differences were observed between spring and summer samples. CSO events have a local and temporary effect on the microbial community of sediments, distinct from that of treated wastewater effluent. Sediments affected by CSO had higher abundances of families Lachnospiraceae, Ruminoc

SUBMITTER: Frank EM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12114436 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature