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Journal of Water and Health Vol 5 No 3 pp 417–426 © IWA Publishing 2007 doi:10.2166/wh.2007.037
Somatic coliphages and bacterial indicators of bathing water quality in the beaches of Gipuzkoa, Spain
Jesús M. Ibarluzea, Loreto Santa Marina, Belén Moreno, Elena Serrano, Karmele Larburu, María J. Maiztegi and Asunción Yarzabal
Subdirección de Salud Pública de Gipuzkoa, The Basque Government's Health Department, Avda. de Navarra 2420013, San Sebastian, Spain Tel.:+34 943 022 749Fax: +34 943 022 710mambien3-san@ej-gv.es
Public Health Laboratory of Gipuzkoa, The Basque Government's Health Department, Avda. de Navarra 2420013, San Sebastian, Spain
Public Health Centre of Urola, C/Salegui 1420800, Zarautz, Spain
Public Health Centre of Bidasoa, Avda. Navarra 4120302, Irun, Spain
Public Health Centre of Deba, Jardines de Argatxa 120600, Eibar, Spain
Department of Health, Environment and Consumption, San Sebastian City Council, C/Manuel Lecuona 720013, San Sebastian, Spain
ABSTRACT
Monitoring the quality of the bathing waters of Gipuzkoa (the Basque Country, Spain) makes it possible to assess the suitability of its 15 beaches for bathing throughout each season. In 1998, the parameters E. coli, somatic coliphages (SOMCPH) and F-specific RNA bacteriophages (FRNAPH) were incorporated into the bathing water quality monitoring system. This enabled the study of the link between bacterial and viral indicators as well as the analysis of the ratios between both types of indicators in waters with different levels of pollution. Although bacterial indicators (total coliforms (TC) and faecal coliforms (FC)) and enterococci showed a strong correlation between them, the correlations between the viral indicators and between the viral and bacterial indicators were weaker, though significant in all cases. The ratio between SOMCPH and E. coli indicates that at low levels of bacterial pollution (E coli <100 MPN/100 ml) SOMCPH outnumber E coli. In contrast, at higher levels of pollution (E coli >100 MPN/100 ml), SOMCPH numbers are lower than those of E-coli. The data reveal the presence of viral indicators in waters classified as suitable for bathing by the European Directive and alert us to their suitability.
Keywords: bacteriophages; bathing waters; coliphages; E. coli; enterococci; indicators
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