Interactive effects of temperature, organic carbon, and pipe material on microbiota composition and Legionella pneumophila in hot water plumbing systems.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Several biotic and abiotic factors have been reported to influence the proliferation of microbes, including Legionella pneumophila, in hot water premise plumbing systems, but their combined effects have not been systematically evaluated. Here, we utilize simulated household water heaters to examine the effects of stepwise increases in temperature (32-53 °C), pipe material (copper vs. cross-linked polyethylene (PEX)), and influent assimilable organic carbon (0-700 μg/L) on opportunistic pathogen gene copy numbers and the microbiota composition, as determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction and 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing.

Results

Temperature had an overarching influence on both the microbiota composition and L. pneumophila numbers. L. pneumophila pe

SUBMITTER: Proctor CR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5628487 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature