| Title | Microbiological and chemical characteristics of beaches along the Taranto Gulf (Ionian Sea, Southern Italy) |
| Abstract | Coastal habitats provide important ecosystem services, such as the maintenance of ecological sustainability, water quality regulation, nutrient recycling, and sandy beaches which are important areas for recreation and tourism. The quality of seawater is generally measured by determining the concentrations of Escherichia coli and intestinal Enterococci, which might be affected by the persistent populations of these bacteria in sand. Sand might thus be a significant source of pathogen exposure to beachgoers. The quality of coastal recreational waters can also be affected by eutrophication, water discoloration, and harmful algal blooms, which pose additional human health risks. Here, we conducted a monitoring of the beaches quality along the Taranto Gulf by determining the concentrations of fecal indicator organisms, as well as other parameters that are not traditionally measured (physicochemical parameters, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and harmful microalgae), in shallow seawater and sand sampled from three beaches. The concentrations of bacteria were determined using both standard microbiological methods and the IDEXX system. Our results demonstrate the utility of measuring a greater number of parameters in addition to those conventionally measured, as well as the importance of assessing the health risks posed by the sand matrix. Additional work is needed to develop rapid analytical techniques that could be used to monitor the microbiological parameters of solid matrices. |
| Source | Environmental monitoring and assessment (Print) 194, pp. 1–13 |
| Keywords | Seawater pollutionPhytoplanktonBeachgoersSand |
| Journal | Environmental monitoring and assessment (Print) |
| Editor | Kluwer Academic Publishers, London, Paesi Bassi |
| Year | 2022 |
| Type | Articolo in rivista |
| DOI | 10.1007/s10661-022-10103-x |
| Authors | De Giglio O.; Narracci M.; Apollonio F.; Triggiano F.; Acquaviva M.I.; Caroppo C.; Diella G.; Di Leo A.; Fasano F.; Giandomenico S.; Spada L.; Cavallo R.A.; Montagna M.T. |
| Text | 472035 2022 10.1007/s10661 022 10103 x Scopus 2 s2.0 85130474595 Seawater pollution Phytoplankton Beachgoers Sand Microbiological and chemical characteristics of beaches along the Taranto Gulf Ionian Sea, Southern Italy De Giglio O.; Narracci M.; Apollonio F.; Triggiano F.; Acquaviva M.I.; Caroppo C.; Diella G.; Di Leo A.; Fasano F.; Giandomenico S.; Spada L.; Cavallo R.A.; Montagna M.T. Department of Biomedical Science and Human Oncology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza G. Cesare 11, Bari, 70124, Bari, Italy; National Research Council CNR , Water Research Institute IRSA , S.S. of Taranto, via Roma 3, Taranto, 74123, Italy; Coastal habitats provide important ecosystem services, such as the maintenance of ecological sustainability, water quality regulation, nutrient recycling, and sandy beaches which are important areas for recreation and tourism. The quality of seawater is generally measured by determining the concentrations of Escherichia coli and intestinal Enterococci, which might be affected by the persistent populations of these bacteria in sand. Sand might thus be a significant source of pathogen exposure to beachgoers. The quality of coastal recreational waters can also be affected by eutrophication, water discoloration, and harmful algal blooms, which pose additional human health risks. Here, we conducted a monitoring of the beaches quality along the Taranto Gulf by determining the concentrations of fecal indicator organisms, as well as other parameters that are not traditionally measured physicochemical parameters, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and harmful microalgae , in shallow seawater and sand sampled from three beaches. The concentrations of bacteria were determined using both standard microbiological methods and the IDEXX system. Our results demonstrate the utility of measuring a greater number of parameters in addition to those conventionally measured, as well as the importance of assessing the health risks posed by the sand matrix. Additional work is needed to develop rapid analytical techniques that could be used to monitor the microbiological parameters of solid matrices. 194 Published version http //www.scopus.com/record/display.url eid=2 s2.0 85130474595 origin=inward 15/05/2022 De Giglio et al. 2022 pdf dell articolo Microbiological and chemical characteristics of beaches along the Taranto Gulf Ionian Sea, Southern Italy De Giglio et al. 2022.pdf Articolo in rivista Kluwer Academic Publishers 0167 6369 Environmental monitoring and assessment Print Environmental monitoring and assessment Print Environ. monit. assess. Print Environmental monitoring and assessment. Print carmela.caroppo CAROPPO CARMELA mariaimmacolata.acquaviva ACQUAVIVA MARIA IMMACOLATA antonella.dileo DI LEO ANTONELLA marcella.narracci NARRACCI MARCELLA santina.giandomenico GIANDOMENICO SANTINA lucia.spada SPADA LUCIA rosaanna.cavallo CAVALLO ROSA ANNA |
