Modelling microbiological quality dynamics of Suquía River in Córdoba, Argentina"

PAVAN J ; BARRIL P; MARTÍNEZ LC; GIORDANO M; MASACHESSI G; FERREYRA, L; ISA M.B.; IBARRA G.; WELTER A; MARTINEZ WASSAF M; RE VE; NATES S

Book title: "Industrial, medical and environmental applications of microorganisms: current status and trends"

Wageningen Academic Publishers

Lugar: MAdrid; Año: 2014; p. 547 - 551

Data from the year-long monitoring campaign of the Suquía River (Córdoba, Argentina) were analyzed to characterize river water quality. The measured variables (11) reflected an important deterioration in the river water quality when passing through the city, which was observed by a continuous increase of chloride, chemical oxygen demand, biological oxygen demand, nitrite, nitrate, total ammonia, orthophosphate and total and thermotolerant coliforms. By cluster analysis, the total monitoring points (eleven) grouped in four clusters, reflected similarity in water quality between monitoring river sites. This notion allows the introduction of reliable criteria to choose a single sampling site that represents the cluster. Rotavirus and norovirus were detected in 100% and 83.9% of monitoring points respectively, and their detection did not necessarily correlate with bacterial and physicochemical variables. Therefore, water quality surveillance should include the analysis of enteric viruses in order to assess microbiological water quality. Based on rotavirus prevalence, ubiquity and lack of seasonality, this virus could be considered as a potential indicator of fecal water contamination in our region.