Our lab is working with the Environmental Protection Commission (EPC) of Hillsborough County to investigate potentially naturalized Escherichia coli of fecal origin in our surface waters. A previous project with the EPC in the same area was recently published.

 

Surface waters are bodies of water such as rivers, canals, lakes, and ponds. Typically in a microbial source tracking study, we investigate these bodies of water for sources of pollution such as a leak from a sewage pipe or septic tank, or large amounts animal fecal contribution. However, our task may be complicated by naturalized populations of the fecal indicator bacteria that we use for our work.

 

Persistent FIB populations, termed indigenous or “naturalized” in aquatic habitats, are most commonly found in sediments and may be resuspended by precipitation, fast water flow, and recreation, increasing their concentration in the water column above regulatory thresholds.

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To study this, we are taking water and sediment samples from three water bodies in Hillsborough County - Hamilton Creek, Buckhorn Creek, and Turkey Creek. We then filter the samples for DNA and culturable E. coli. The DNA allows us to test for several DNA markers that may indicate sources of fecal contribution, while we test the culturable E. coli for fecal and potential-survival associated genes.