TY - JOUR
T1 - Event-transport of beta-d-glucuronidase in an agricultural headwater stream
T2 - Assessment of seasonal patterns by on-line enzymatic activity measurements and environmental isotopes
AU - Stadler, Philipp
AU - Blöschl, Günter
AU - Nemeth, Lukas
AU - Oismüller, Markus
AU - Kumpan, Monika
AU - Krampe, Jörg
AU - Farnleitner, Andreas H
AU - Zessner, Matthias
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors thank Günther Schmid and Silvia Jungwirth (Institute for Land and Water Management Research, Federal Agency for Water Management) for their assistance in Petzenkirchen. This study was financially supported by the Austrian Science Fund ( W1219-N28 ) (Vienna Doctoral Programme on Water Resource Systems, W 1219-N22), the Vienna University of Technology (innovative project: GIP226TPC ) and the Austrian Research Promotion Agency ( 841582 – 3735473 ).
Funding Information:
The authors thank Günther Schmid and Silvia Jungwirth (Institute for Land and Water Management Research, Federal Agency for Water Management) for their assistance in Petzenkirchen. This study was financially supported by the Austrian Science Fund (W1219-N28) (Vienna Doctoral Programme on Water Resource Systems, W 1219-N22), the Vienna University of Technology (innovative project: GIP226TPC) and the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (841582 – 3735473).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2019
PY - 2019/4/20
Y1 - 2019/4/20
N2 - Understanding the fate of fecal pollution in the landscape is required for microbial risk analysis. The aim of this study was to assess the patterns and dynamics of beta-d-glucuronidase (GLUC), which has been suggested as a surrogate for fecal pollution monitoring, in a stream draining an agricultural headwater catchment. Automated enzymatic on-site measurements of stream water and sediments were made over two years (2014-2016) to quantify the sources and pathways of GLUC in a stream. The event water fraction of streamflow was estimated by stable isotopes. Samples from field sediments on a hillslope, streambed sediment and stream water were analyzed for GLUC and with a standard E. coli assay. The results showed ten times higher GLUC and E. coli concentrations during the summer than during the winter for all compartments (field and streambed sediments and stream water). The E. coli concentrations in the streambed sediment were approximately 100 times those of the field sediments. Of the total GLUC load in the study period, 39% were transported during hydrological events (increased streamflow due to rainfall or snowmelt); of these, 44% were transported when the stream contained no recent rainwater. The results suggested that a large proportion of the GLUC and E. coli in the stream water stemmed from resuspended streambed sediments. Moreover, the results strongly indicated the existence of remnant populations of GLUC-active organisms in the catchment.
AB - Understanding the fate of fecal pollution in the landscape is required for microbial risk analysis. The aim of this study was to assess the patterns and dynamics of beta-d-glucuronidase (GLUC), which has been suggested as a surrogate for fecal pollution monitoring, in a stream draining an agricultural headwater catchment. Automated enzymatic on-site measurements of stream water and sediments were made over two years (2014-2016) to quantify the sources and pathways of GLUC in a stream. The event water fraction of streamflow was estimated by stable isotopes. Samples from field sediments on a hillslope, streambed sediment and stream water were analyzed for GLUC and with a standard E. coli assay. The results showed ten times higher GLUC and E. coli concentrations during the summer than during the winter for all compartments (field and streambed sediments and stream water). The E. coli concentrations in the streambed sediment were approximately 100 times those of the field sediments. Of the total GLUC load in the study period, 39% were transported during hydrological events (increased streamflow due to rainfall or snowmelt); of these, 44% were transported when the stream contained no recent rainwater. The results suggested that a large proportion of the GLUC and E. coli in the stream water stemmed from resuspended streambed sediments. Moreover, the results strongly indicated the existence of remnant populations of GLUC-active organisms in the catchment.
KW - Austria
KW - Bacterial Proteins/analysis
KW - Environmental Monitoring/instrumentation
KW - Escherichia coli/isolation & purification
KW - Escherichia coli Proteins/analysis
KW - Feces/microbiology
KW - Glucuronidase/analysis
KW - Isotopes/analysis
KW - Online Systems
KW - Rivers/chemistry
KW - Seasons
KW - Water Microbiology
KW - Water Quality
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85060924901&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.01.143
DO - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.01.143
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 30690358
SN - 0048-9697
VL - 662
SP - 236
EP - 245
JO - Science of the Total Environment
JF - Science of the Total Environment
ER -