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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Environmental Microbial & Food Safety Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #318408
Title: Survival of manure-borne and fecal coliforms in soil: temperature dependence as affected by site-specific factors

Author
item PARK, YONGEUN - FOREST SERVICE (FS)
item Pachepsky, Yakov
item SHELTON, DANIEL
item JEONG, JAEHAK - TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
item WHELAN, GENR - ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA)

Submitted to: Journal of Environmental Quality
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/1/2015
Publication Date: 4/25/2016
Citation: Park, Y., Pachepsky, Y.A., Shelton, D.R., Jeong, J., Whelan, G. 2016. Survival of manure-borne and fecal coliforms in soil: temperature dependence as affected by site-specific factors. Journal of Environmental Quality. 45(3):949-957.

Interpretive Summary: Microbial contamination of water can be the result of fecal bacterial survival in soil, which is available for runoff to surface waters. Predictive models are needed that relate fecal bacterial survival in soil to environmental and microbial factors. We carried out an exhaustive search of published works and compiled a large database on the survival of the E. coli, pathogenic E. coli O157:H7, and fecal coliform bacteria in soil. Decision rules were developed that allowed us to predict survival from temperature, source, type, and application method of manure, and soil properties. Predictions from those decision rules can be used in environmental assessments to evaluate the potential of best management practices to prevent or mitigate microbial contamination of irrigation and recreation waters. This information will be of interest to other scientists and regulatory agencies.

Technical Abstract: Understanding pathogenic and indicator bacteria survival in soils is essential for assessing the potential of microbial contamination of water and produce, and making appropriate management decisions. The objective of this work was to evaluate effects of soil and management factors on temperature dependencies of manure-borne generic Escherichia coli, E. coli O157:H7 and fecal coliforms survival in soils. The database was assembled that consisted of 151 datasets from 70 publications. The survival factors included soil texture, soil water content, animal source, waste consistency, field or laboratory conditions, application method, and coliform group or strain. Each of the factors was represented with two or three broad categories. Inspection of the database showed the presence of two types of survival kinetics (a) two-stage kinetics which included two time periods with distinctly different concentration change rates, and (b) one-stage kinetics represented by a single survival rate. The first stage of two-stage survival was characterized by duration and rate of the logarithm of concentration change. The second stage of the two-stage kinetics and the one-stage kinetics were simulated with the Q10 model to find the dependence of the inactivation rate on temperature. Classification and regression trees and linear regressions were applied to parameterize the kinetics. Presence or absence of two-stage kinetics was controlled by temperature, soil texture, soil water content, and, for fine textured soils, by setting experiments in the field or in the lab. The duration of the first stage was predominantly affected by soil water content and temperature. In the Q10 model dependencies of inactivation rates on temperature, parameter Q10 estimates were significantly affected by the experiment setting in the field or in the laboratory, and by the application method, whereas inactivation rates at 20°C were significantly affected by all survival and management factors. Results of this work can provide estimates of coliform survival parameters for models of microbial water quality.