Microbiology of Polluted Waters

Code

Course teacher

Associate teachers

Status of the course

Course objectives

The purpose oft his course is to provide an introduction to microbial water pollution, especially to microorganisms which are actual or potential water-borne human pathogens.

Course enrolment requirements and entry competences required for the course

Knowledge in Basic Microbiology

Learning outcomes expected at the level of the course (4 to 10 learning outcomes)

- Acquisition of knowledge about the sources of microbial contamination of natural waters.
- Acquisition of knowledge about the microorganisms which are actual or potential water-borne human pathogens.
- Understanding of the definition of indicator organisms.
- Understanding the criteria and standards for assessing the quality of different types of water (drinking water, recreational water, acquaculture areas, etc.) .
- Acquisition of knowledge about the fate of allochthonous microorganisms upon arrival in the aquatic environment, or on their mechanisms of adaptation and survival.
- Introduction to environmental factors that affect the survival (T90) of indicators and pathogenic microorganisms in different types of water environment.
- Acquisition of knowledge about the impact of allochthonous microorganisms on organisms living in that aquatic environment.
- Understanding why shellfish are considered the most risk organisms in microbiologically polluted water, and what are the factors affecting the rate of concentration of microorganisms in shellfish.
- Acquisition of knowledge about the processes of eutrophication and conditions which cause toxic algal blooms and blooms of cyanobacteria.

Course content broken down in detail by weekly class schedule (syllabus)

Lesson 1. Introduction to Sanitary Microbiology (2 hours)
Microbiological contamination of waters as one of the main public health problems. Clasification of different types of water distinguished on the basis of use (drinking water, bathing waters, waters used for other recreational purposes, aquaculture areas).
Lesson 2. Sources of microbiologica pollution (2 hours)
Sources of microbial pollution: untreated wastewater discharges and outfalls, including type, e.g. industrial, domestic or mixed; Water pollutant sources can be grouped into two supercategories: (a) point sources which can be attributed to discrete discharge from a factory or sewage outfall and (b) non-point sources that include agricultural runoff, urban stormwater runoff and other area wide sources.
Lesson 3. Rewiev of pathogens or potential human pathogens in polluted waters (2 hours)
Microorganisms which are actual or potential pathogens of man and can be transmitted through polluted waters, or through consumption of contaminated waterfood: bacteria, viruses, fungi and variety of protozoan and metazoan parasites.
Lesson 4: Pathogenic microorganisms (3 hours)
The main features of cammon pathogenic bacteria in polluted waters: Salmonella,Shigella, Vibrio, Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas, Clostridium, Campylobacter, Yersinia, Aeromonas, enteropathpgenic Escherichia coli, and a number of streptococci. Viruses: various group pf viruses are known to be isolated from polluted waters, including enteroviruses, reoviruses, adenoviruses and parvoviruses. Pathogenic fungi: the most common one associated with infection through contact with polluted waters is Candida albicans. Features of other parasites.
Lesson 5. Microbial indicator organisms (2 hours)
Concept, definition and features of indicator organisms.The main parameters used for monitoring quality of waters are bacterial indicator organisms. The main ones are the following: total coliforms, faecal coliforms (Escherichia coli), faecal streptococci, intestinal enterococci, and some others regarding the use of monitored waters.
Lesson 6. A water quality criteria and standards (2hours)
Concept and definition of microbial water quality criteria and standards. The concept of acceptability for various types of water (drinking water, fresh water environment, marine environment). Microbial water quality assesment.
Lesson 7. Fate of allochthonous microorganisms after arrival in the aquatic environment (2 hours)
Surviving of alochtonous microorganisms in the aquatic environment: Mechanisms of adaptation and survival of alochtonous microorganisms in the freshwater and marine environments.
Lesson 8. Environmental factors influencing to die-off of microorganisms in water environments (3 hours)
Factors that can affect die-off of microorganisms in water environments: temperature, solar radiation, salinity, osmotic preassure, pH, nutrients, simultaneous effect of environmental factors, antagonistic effect of other organisms.
Lesson 9. Determination of survavial rates for selected bacteria (2 hours)
T90 value of the indicator bacteria and some pathogens. The differential die-off of indicators in marine and fresh water environments.
Lesson 10. The accumulation of microorganisms in organisms living in that environment (2 sata)
Impact of allochtonous microorganisms on sanitary quality of organisms that live in that environment.
Lesson 11. Overview of risk groups of edible organisms to human health (2 hours)
Shellfish as the risk organisms for human health. Features of shellfish due to the sessile mode of life and feeding by filtering water. Review of factors that affect the filtration rate of shellfish and the rate of concentration of microorganisms in shellfish.
Lesson 12. Infections and poisoning by shellfish (2 hours)
The role of shellfish as vectors in human deseases. The most common pathogens transferable via shellfish.
Lesson 13. Eutrophication and toxic phytoplankton blooms (2 hours)
Blooms of toxic algal species producing potent toxins. Acumulation of biotoxins in shellfish during filter feeding becoming vectors in various forms of shellfish poisoning.
Lesson 14. Blooms of Cyanobacteria (2 hours)
Risk assessment of the mass proliferation of cyanobacteria. Cyanotoxins. Human health risk assessment related to Cyanotoxins.
Seminars
Students prepare seminars in topics related to the lessons and presentations of seminars are followed by discussion.
Laboratory Exercises
Exercise 1. (3 hours)
Sampling of water
Determination of microbiological quality of drinking water by spread plate technique.
Determination of indicators of faecal pollution in drinking water and seawater by membrane filtration culture method: E. coli, faecal coliforms and intestinal enterococci following ISO standards.
Exercise 2. (3 hours)
Determination of E. coli and faecal coliforms by MPN method following ISO standards.
Dtermination of intestinal enterococci in seawater by MPN method (after WHO/UNEP 1995)
Exercise 3. (4 hours)
Determination of indicators of faecal pollution int he shellfish:
Determination of E. coli int he shellfish by MPN method following ISO standards.
Determination of E. coli and faecal coliforms in shellfish by MPN method following ISO standards
Dtermination of intestinal enterococci in sshellfish by MPN method (after WHO/UNEP 1995)
Exercise 4. (2 hours)
Determination of some pathogens in shellfish:
Dtermination of Salmonella in shellfish following ISO standards
Exercise 5. (3 hours)
Determination of sanitary quality of freshwater and marine sediments by pour plate technique (after WHO/UNEP 1995).
Dtermination of total number bacteria in water samples by fluorescence method.
Dtermination of total number bacteria in water samples by flow citometer method.

Format of instruction:

Student responsibilities

Class attendance is mandatory , seminars, discussions on teaching units.

Optional literature (at the time of submission of study programme proposal)

T.N. Hofer, (2008).Marine pollution: New Research, Nova Science Publishers, New York, 448p.
Laws, E.A. (2000). Aquatic Pollution, An Introductory Text (Third Edition). Willey Intersci. Publ., New York, 672 pages.

Quality assurance methods that ensure the acquisition of exit competences

Quality assurance will be performed at three levels:
(1) University Level;
(2) Faculty Level by Quality Control Committee;
(3) Lecturer’s Level.

Other (as the proposer wishes to add)