Microbiological hazard identification in river waters used for recreational activities

DÍAZ, SOFÍA MICAELA; BARRIOS, MELINA ELIZABETH; GALLI, LUCÍA; CAMMARATA, ROBERTINA VIVIANA; TORRES, CAROLINA; FORTUNATO, MARÍA SUSANA; GARCÍA LÓPEZ, GUADALUPE; COSTA, MAGDALENA; SANGUINO JORQUERA, DIEGO GASTÓN; ODERIZ, SEBASTIAN; ROGÉ, ARIEL; GENTILUOMO, JIMENA; CARBONARI, CAROLINA; RAJAL, VERÓNICA BEATRIZ; KOROL, SONIA EDITH; GALLEGO, ALFREDO; BLANCO FERNÁNDEZ, MARÍA DOLORES; MBAYED, VIVIANA ANDREA

ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH

ACADEMIC PRESS INC ELSEVIER SCIENCE

Año: 2024 vol. 247

0013-9351

Pathogenic bacteria, viruses, and parasites can cause waterborne disease outbreaks. The study of coastal water quality contributes to identifying potential risks to human health and to improving water management practices. The Río de la Plata River, a wide estuary in South America, is used for recreational activities, as a water source for consumption and as a site for sewage discharges. In the present study, as the first step of a quantitative microbial risk assessment of the coastal water quality of this river, a descriptive study was performed to identify the microbial pathogens prevalent in its waters and in the sewage discharged into the river. Two sites, representing two different potential risk scenarios, were chosen: a heavily polluted beach and an apparently safe beach. Conductivity and fecal contamination indicators including enterococci, Escherichia coli, F + RNA bacteriophages, and human polyomaviruses showed high levels. Regarding enterococci, differences between sites were significant (p-values