Protozoan bacterivory and Escherichia coli survival in drinking water distribution systems
Abstract
The development of bacterial communities in drinking water distribution systems leads to a food chain which supports the growth of macroorganisms incompatible with water quality requirements and esthetics. Nevertheless, very few studies have examined the microbial communities in drinking water distribution systems and their trophic relationships. This study was done to quantify the microbial communities (especially bacteria and protozoa) and obtain direct and indirect proof of protozoan feeding on bacteria in two distribution networks, one of GAC water (i.e., water filtered on granular activated carbon) and the other of nanofiltered water. The nanofiltered water-supplied network contained no organisms larger than bacteria, either in the water phase (on average, 5 x 10(7) bacterial cells liter-1) or in the biofilm (on average, 7 x 10(6) bacterial cells cm-2). No protozoa were detected in the whole nanofiltered water-supplied network (water plus biofilm). In contrast, the GAC water-supplied network contained bacteria (on average, 3 x 10(8) cells liter-1 in water and 4 x 10(7) cells cm-2 in biofilm) and protozoa (on average, 10(5) cells liter-1 in water and 10(3) cells cm-2 in biofilm). The water contained mostly flagellates (93%)...Continue Reading
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