Associations among Human-Associated Fecal Contamination, Microcystis aeruginosa, and Microcystin at Lake Erie Beaches
Lake Erie beaches exhibit impaired water quality due to fecal contamination and cyanobacterial blooms, though few studies address potential relationships between these two public health hazards. Using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), Microcystis aeruginosa was monitored in conjunction...
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doaj-e6ff7e4d1ef849eba7ed6c99b2d748012020-11-24T22:36:22ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health1660-46012015-09-01129114661148510.3390/ijerph120911466ijerph120911466Associations among Human-Associated Fecal Contamination, Microcystis aeruginosa, and Microcystin at Lake Erie BeachesCheonghoon Lee0Jason W. Marion1Melissa Cheung2Chang Soo Lee3Jiyoung Lee4Division of Environmental Health Sciences, College of Public Health, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USADivision of Environmental Health Sciences, College of Public Health, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USADivision of Environmental Health Sciences, College of Public Health, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USADivision of Environmental Health Sciences, College of Public Health, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USADivision of Environmental Health Sciences, College of Public Health, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USALake Erie beaches exhibit impaired water quality due to fecal contamination and cyanobacterial blooms, though few studies address potential relationships between these two public health hazards. Using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), Microcystis aeruginosa was monitored in conjunction with a human-associated fecal marker (Bacteroides fragilis group; g-Bfra), microcystin, and water quality parameters at two beaches to evaluate their potential associations. During the summer of 2010, water samples were collected 32 times from both Euclid and Villa Angela beaches. The phycocyanin intergenic spacer (PC-IGS) and the microcystin-producing (mcyA) gene in M. aeruginosa were quantified with qPCR. PC-IGS and mcyA were detected in 50.0% and 39.1% of samples, respectively, and showed increased occurrences after mid-August. Correlation and regression analyses showed that water temperature was negatively correlated with M. aeruginosa markers and microcystin. The densities of mcyA and the g-Bfra were predicted by nitrate, implicating fecal contamination as contributing to the growth of M. aeruginosa by nitrate loading. Microcystin was correlated with mcyA (r = 0.413, p < 0.01), suggesting toxin-producing M. aeruginosa populations may significantly contribute to microcystin production. Additionally, microcystin was correlated with total phosphorus (r = 0.628, p < 0.001), which was higher at Euclid (p < 0.05), possibly contributing to higher microcystin concentrations at Euclid.http://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/12/9/11466harmful algal bloomcyanotoxinmicrobial source trackingurban beachesLake Erie |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Cheonghoon Lee Jason W. Marion Melissa Cheung Chang Soo Lee Jiyoung Lee |
spellingShingle |
Cheonghoon Lee Jason W. Marion Melissa Cheung Chang Soo Lee Jiyoung Lee Associations among Human-Associated Fecal Contamination, Microcystis aeruginosa, and Microcystin at Lake Erie Beaches International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health harmful algal bloom cyanotoxin microbial source tracking urban beaches Lake Erie |
author_facet |
Cheonghoon Lee Jason W. Marion Melissa Cheung Chang Soo Lee Jiyoung Lee |
author_sort |
Cheonghoon Lee |
title |
Associations among Human-Associated Fecal Contamination, Microcystis aeruginosa, and Microcystin at Lake Erie Beaches |
title_short |
Associations among Human-Associated Fecal Contamination, Microcystis aeruginosa, and Microcystin at Lake Erie Beaches |
title_full |
Associations among Human-Associated Fecal Contamination, Microcystis aeruginosa, and Microcystin at Lake Erie Beaches |
title_fullStr |
Associations among Human-Associated Fecal Contamination, Microcystis aeruginosa, and Microcystin at Lake Erie Beaches |
title_full_unstemmed |
Associations among Human-Associated Fecal Contamination, Microcystis aeruginosa, and Microcystin at Lake Erie Beaches |
title_sort |
associations among human-associated fecal contamination, microcystis aeruginosa, and microcystin at lake erie beaches |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health |
issn |
1660-4601 |
publishDate |
2015-09-01 |
description |
Lake Erie beaches exhibit impaired water quality due to fecal contamination and cyanobacterial blooms, though few studies address potential relationships between these two public health hazards. Using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), Microcystis aeruginosa was monitored in conjunction with a human-associated fecal marker (Bacteroides fragilis group; g-Bfra), microcystin, and water quality parameters at two beaches to evaluate their potential associations. During the summer of 2010, water samples were collected 32 times from both Euclid and Villa Angela beaches. The phycocyanin intergenic spacer (PC-IGS) and the microcystin-producing (mcyA) gene in M. aeruginosa were quantified with qPCR. PC-IGS and mcyA were detected in 50.0% and 39.1% of samples, respectively, and showed increased occurrences after mid-August. Correlation and regression analyses showed that water temperature was negatively correlated with M. aeruginosa markers and microcystin. The densities of mcyA and the g-Bfra were predicted by nitrate, implicating fecal contamination as contributing to the growth of M. aeruginosa by nitrate loading. Microcystin was correlated with mcyA (r = 0.413, p < 0.01), suggesting toxin-producing M. aeruginosa populations may significantly contribute to microcystin production. Additionally, microcystin was correlated with total phosphorus (r = 0.628, p < 0.001), which was higher at Euclid (p < 0.05), possibly contributing to higher microcystin concentrations at Euclid. |
topic |
harmful algal bloom cyanotoxin microbial source tracking urban beaches Lake Erie |
url |
http://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/12/9/11466 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT cheonghoonlee associationsamonghumanassociatedfecalcontaminationmicrocystisaeruginosaandmicrocystinatlakeeriebeaches AT jasonwmarion associationsamonghumanassociatedfecalcontaminationmicrocystisaeruginosaandmicrocystinatlakeeriebeaches AT melissacheung associationsamonghumanassociatedfecalcontaminationmicrocystisaeruginosaandmicrocystinatlakeeriebeaches AT changsoolee associationsamonghumanassociatedfecalcontaminationmicrocystisaeruginosaandmicrocystinatlakeeriebeaches AT jiyounglee associationsamonghumanassociatedfecalcontaminationmicrocystisaeruginosaandmicrocystinatlakeeriebeaches |
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1725720597755854848 |