Sewage--Microbiology

The significance of the transmission of animal viruses in sewage
polluted fresh and marine waters becomes an increasingly important
factor as more and more evidence is presented to support the fact
that in the case of many viral types one virus particle constitutes
an infective dose. Therefore it is very important that a method of
determining the extent of viral pollution in sewage polluted bodies
of marine and fresh water be found.
The longevity of f2 bacteriophage in both marine and fresh water
sewage polluted samples was determined, and shown to be 3 to 4 days
for marine water and 8 days for fresh water. It was also shown
that the culture medium in which the f2 phage was produced, and the
larger macromolecular polymers commonly found associated with sewage
had a favorable affect in increasing the longevity of f2 phage.
It was shown that f2 bacteriophage could be used to follow the
initial dispersion of the sewage boil arising from an ocean outfall
sewerage system. From these results it was concluded that f2
bacteriophage could be used for more detailed studies concerned
with the transmission of viruses in sewage polluted waters.

Two methods, a membrane filter-fluorescent antibody technique for
detection of Staphylococcus aureus, and isotopic determination of
relative heterotrophic activity, were compared with a standard technique
based on the recovery of coliform organisms for evaluation as indices of
marine pollution. Water samples were collected from coastal areas of
Pompano Beach and Boca Raton, Florida. Coliform and staphylococci
survival in seawater was studied under laboratory conditions. The effect
of exposure to seawater on substrate uptake by coliforms and other sewage
microorganisms was studied using isotopic methods. The results of these
studies support the feasibility of using S· aureus as a long-range
indicator of marine pollution. Under natural conditions, S· aureus
appears more resistant to seawater than coliform organisms, although the
reverse was found under laboratory conditions. Seawater inhibited uptake
of glucose and lactose by Escherichia coli and other sewage organisms.
Relative heterotrophic potentials in terms of glucose and lactose uptake
velocities were not significantly affected in coastal waters by the
influx of bacteria and nutrients in sewage outfall effluent.