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De Giglio O, Narracci M, Apollonio F, Triggiano F, Acquaviva MI, Caroppo C, Diella G, Di Leo A, Fasano F, Giandomenico S, Spada L, Cavallo RA, Montagna MT. Microbiological and chemical characteristics of beaches along the Taranto Gulf (Ionian Sea, Southern Italy). Environ Monit Assess 2022; 194:448. [PMID: 35604473 PMCID: PMC9165249 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-022-10103-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Coastal habitats provide important ecosystem services, such as the maintenance of ecological sustainability, water quality regulation, nutrient recycling, and sandy beaches which are important areas for recreation and tourism. The quality of seawater is generally measured by determining the concentrations of Escherichia coli and intestinal Enterococci, which might be affected by the persistent populations of these bacteria in sand. Sand might thus be a significant source of pathogen exposure to beachgoers. The quality of coastal recreational waters can also be affected by eutrophication, water discoloration, and harmful algal blooms, which pose additional human health risks. Here, we conducted a monitoring of the beaches quality along the Taranto Gulf by determining the concentrations of fecal indicator organisms, as well as other parameters that are not traditionally measured (physicochemical parameters, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and harmful microalgae), in shallow seawater and sand sampled from three beaches. The concentrations of bacteria were determined using both standard microbiological methods and the IDEXX system. Our results demonstrate the utility of measuring a greater number of parameters in addition to those conventionally measured, as well as the importance of assessing the health risks posed by the sand matrix. Additional work is needed to develop rapid analytical techniques that could be used to monitor the microbiological parameters of solid matrices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Osvalda De Giglio
- Department of Biomedical Science and Human Oncology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza G. Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Marcella Narracci
- National Research Council (CNR), Water Research Institute (IRSA), S.S. of Taranto, via Roma 3, 74123 Taranto, Italy
| | - Francesca Apollonio
- Department of Biomedical Science and Human Oncology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza G. Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Francesco Triggiano
- Department of Biomedical Science and Human Oncology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza G. Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Maria Immacolata Acquaviva
- National Research Council (CNR), Water Research Institute (IRSA), S.S. of Taranto, via Roma 3, 74123 Taranto, Italy
| | - Carmela Caroppo
- National Research Council (CNR), Water Research Institute (IRSA), S.S. of Taranto, via Roma 3, 74123 Taranto, Italy
| | - Giusy Diella
- Department of Biomedical Science and Human Oncology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza G. Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Antonella Di Leo
- National Research Council (CNR), Water Research Institute (IRSA), S.S. of Taranto, via Roma 3, 74123 Taranto, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Fasano
- Department of Biomedical Science and Human Oncology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza G. Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Santina Giandomenico
- National Research Council (CNR), Water Research Institute (IRSA), S.S. of Taranto, via Roma 3, 74123 Taranto, Italy
| | - Lucia Spada
- National Research Council (CNR), Water Research Institute (IRSA), S.S. of Taranto, via Roma 3, 74123 Taranto, Italy
| | - Rosa Anna Cavallo
- National Research Council (CNR), Water Research Institute (IRSA), S.S. of Taranto, via Roma 3, 74123 Taranto, Italy
| | - Maria Teresa Montagna
- Department of Biomedical Science and Human Oncology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza G. Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy
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Giacobbo A, Rodrigues MAS, Zoppas Ferreira J, Bernardes AM, de Pinho MN. A critical review on SARS-CoV-2 infectivity in water and wastewater. What do we know? Sci Total Environ 2021; 774:145721. [PMID: 33610994 PMCID: PMC7870439 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 outbreak circulating the world is far from being controlled, and possible contamination routes are still being studied. There are no confirmed cases yet, but little is known about the infection possibility via contact with sewage or contaminated water as well as with aerosols generated during the pumping and treatment of these aqueous matrices. Therefore, this article presents a literature review on the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in human excreta and its pathways through the sewer system and wastewater treatment plants until it reaches the water bodies, highlighting their occurrence and infectivity in sewage and natural water. Research lines are still indicated, which we believe are important for improving the detection, quantification, and mainly the infectivity analyzes of SARS-CoV-2 and other enveloped viruses in sewage and natural water. In fact, up till now, no case of transmission via contact with sewage or contaminated water has been reported and the few studies conducted with these aqueous matrices have not detected infectious viruses. On the other hand, studies are showing that SARS-CoV-2 can remain viable, i.e., infectious, for up to 4.3 and 6 days in sewage and water, respectively, and that other species of coronavirus may remain viable in these aqueous matrices for more than one year, depending on the sample conditions. These are strong pieces of evidence that the contamination mediated by contact with sewage or contaminated water cannot be ruled out, even because other more resistant and infectious mutations of SARS-CoV-2 may appear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Giacobbo
- Post-Graduation Program in Mining, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering (PPGE3M), Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Bento Gonçalves, n. 9500, Agronomia, Porto Alegre, RS 91509-900, Brazil; Center of Physics and Engineering of Advanced Materials (CeFEMA), Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, Av. Rovisco Pais, n. 1, Lisbon 1049-001, Portugal.
| | - Marco Antônio Siqueira Rodrigues
- Post-Graduation Program in Materials Technology and Industrial Processes, Pure Sciences and Technology Institute, Feevale University, Rodovia RS-239, n. 2755, Vila Nova, Novo Hamburgo, RS 93525-075, Brazil.
| | - Jane Zoppas Ferreira
- Post-Graduation Program in Mining, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering (PPGE3M), Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Bento Gonçalves, n. 9500, Agronomia, Porto Alegre, RS 91509-900, Brazil.
| | - Andréa Moura Bernardes
- Post-Graduation Program in Mining, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering (PPGE3M), Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Bento Gonçalves, n. 9500, Agronomia, Porto Alegre, RS 91509-900, Brazil.
| | - Maria Norberta de Pinho
- Center of Physics and Engineering of Advanced Materials (CeFEMA), Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, Av. Rovisco Pais, n. 1, Lisbon 1049-001, Portugal; Chemical Engineering Department, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, Av. Rovisco Pais, n. 1, Lisbon 1049-001, Portugal.
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Moreno-casasola P, Martínez ML, Lithgow D. New Beach Landscapes to Promote Social Distancing and Coastal Conservation during and after the COVID-19 Pandemic. Sustainability 2021; 13:6268. [DOI: 10.3390/su13116268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a pandemic that has altered practically all human activities worldwide. Since the pandemic started at the beginning of 2020, infections have fluctuated drastically over time. It is difficult to predict how this situation will evolve in the coming months/years or when a return to some semblance of 'normal' activity might occur. Because of global lock-up and distancing measures, the beaches, otherwise filled with tourists, first emptied and then had a reduced density of visitors owing to a wide variety of social-distancing measures. Therefore, new safety protocols need to include a wide range of aspects, such as epidemiological conditions, socioeconomic realities, and ecological contexts in which the pandemic occurs. Here, we propose new nature-based landscapes for sandy beaches to help maintain the social distancing of beach visitors while beaches and dunes are restored. When sufficient sediment is available, the maintenance and restoration of healthy beaches with incipient dunes and vegetation will help reduce contagion, promote human health, and recover natural ecosystems.
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