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Indicator Bacterial Survival in Stream Sediments

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1992

Year

Abstract

Abstract The impact of grazing cattle ( Bostauras ) on water quality has been the subject of considerable interest as water quality standards become more restrictive. Benthic sediments have been found to harbor significantly higher concentrations of enteric bacteria than the overlying water. In this study, the survival of fecal coliform and fecal streptococci organisms was demonstrated to be significantly longer in sediment laden waters than in those without sediment and further the survival was longer in the sediment‐laden waters than in a supernatant from that same sediment suspended in water. Fecal coliform and fecal streptococci bacteria revealed half‐lives from 11 to 30 d and 9 to 17 d, respectively when incubated with sediment. This is longer than when they are similarly incubated without sediment.