Transport of E. coli in a sandy soil as impacted by depth to water table - PubMed

• PMID: 24645419

Transport of E. coli in a sandy soil as impacted by depth to water table

Christopher Stall et al. J Environ Health. 2014 Jan-Feb.

Abstract

Septic systems are considered a source of groundwater contamination. In the study described in this article, the fate of microbes applied to a sandy loam soil from North Carolina coastal plain as impacted by water table depth was studied. Soil materials were packed to a depth of 65 cm in 17 columns (15-cm diameter), and a water table was established at 30, 45, and 60 cm depths using five replications. Each day, 200 mL of an artificial septic tank effluent inoculated with E. coli were applied to the top of each column, a 100-mL sample was collected at the water table level and analyzed for E. coli, and 100 mL was drained from the bottom to maintain the water table. Two columns were used as control and received 200 mL/day of sterilized effluent. Neither 30 nor 45 cm of unsaturated soil was adequate to attenuate bacterial contamination, while 60 cm of separation appeared to be sufficient. Little bacterial contamination moved with the water table when it was lowered from 30 to 60 cm.

Similar articles

• Evaluation of on-site wastewater system Escherichia coli contributions to shallow groundwater in coastal North Carolina.

  Humphrey CP Jr, O'Driscoll MA, Zarate MA. Humphrey CP Jr, et al. Water Sci Technol. 2011;63(4):789-95. doi: 10.2166/wst.2011.310. Water Sci Technol. 2011. PMID: 21330729

• Transport of Escherichia coli and solutes during waste water infiltration in an urban alluvial aquifer.

  Foppen JW, van Herwerden M, Kebtie M, Noman A, Schijven JF, Stuyfzand PJ, Uhlenbrook S. Foppen JW, et al. J Contam Hydrol. 2008 Jan 7;95(1-2):1-16. doi: 10.1016/j.jconhyd.2007.07.005. Epub 2007 Jul 17. J Contam Hydrol. 2008. PMID: 17854950

• Influence of organic waste type and soil structure on the bacterial filtration rates in unsaturated intact soil columns.

  Mosaddeghi MR, Mahboubi AA, Zandsalimi S, Unc A. Mosaddeghi MR, et al. J Environ Manage. 2009 Feb;90(2):730-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2008.01.009. Epub 2008 Mar 19. J Environ Manage. 2009. PMID: 18353528

• Virus removal within a soil infiltration zone as affected by effluent composition, application rate, and soil type.

  Van Cuyk S, Siegrist RL. Van Cuyk S, et al. Water Res. 2007 Feb;41(3):699-709. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2006.07.021. Epub 2006 Sep 8. Water Res. 2007. PMID: 16963100

• The attenuation of microorganisms in on-site wastewater effluent discharged into highly permeable subsoils.

  O'Luanaigh ND, Gill LW, Misstear BD, Johnston PM. O'Luanaigh ND, et al. J Contam Hydrol. 2012 Nov;142-143:126-39. doi: 10.1016/j.jconhyd.2011.12.003. Epub 2012 Jan 3. J Contam Hydrol. 2012. PMID: 22300802

Cited by

• Prevalence of Escherichia coli and Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria During Fresh Produce Production (Romaine Lettuce) Using Municipal Wastewater Effluents.

  Summerlin HN 3rd, Pola CC, McLamore ES, Gentry T, Karthikeyan R, Gomes CL. Summerlin HN 3rd, et al. Front Microbiol. 2021 May 20;12:660047. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.660047. eCollection 2021. Front Microbiol. 2021. PMID: 34093474 Free PMC article.

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances