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Effect of Tidal Cycle on Escherichia coli Variability in a Tropical Estuary

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Abstract

A faecal indicator bacteria, Escherichia coli (E. coli), is widely used in monitoring health of estuaries, where tidal amplitude plays a critical role in its variability. Mahanadi estuary, formed at the mouth of a major tropical river Mahanadi, has large socio-economic importance. This anthropogenically stressed estuary remains understudied with respect to E. coli. Hence, this study addressed E. coli variability in Mahanadi estuary with novel sampling strategy that can be implemented at other tropical estuaries. The sampling strategy includes simultaneous measurements, at lesser-saline upper-estuary and higher-saline lower-estuary, over a tidal cycle. Although no significant variability of E. coli was observed between upper and lower-estuary, overall average count was higher during low tide and lower during high tide attributed to salinity fluctuations. Intermittent surpass of E. coli counts above recommended limits in Mahanadi estuary, indicated potential health risk, thus demands for frequent water quality monitoring and management strategies.

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Acknowledgements

Authors are thankful to Director, Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India, Hyderabad for the encouragement. This study has been undertaken as a part of the project entitled “Coastal Monitoring” under the umbrella of “Ocean Services, Modelling, Application, Resources and Technology (O-SMART)” scheme, sanctioned by the Indian Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) vide Administrative Order no. MoES/36/OOIS/CM/2019 dated 07-05-2019. The authors acknowledge Survey of India (SoI), Government of India for tide data. The authors sincerely acknowledge National Centre for Coastal Research (formerly ICMAM-PD) for COMAPS data, which was acquired from repository at INCOIS. This is INCOIS Contribution No. 399.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Govt. of India, Hyderabad, 500090, India

    Sanjiba Kumar Baliarsingh, Aneesh Anandrao Lotliker, Suchismita Srichandan & T. M. Balakrishnan Nair

  2. Present Address, Centurion University of Technology and Management, Bhubaneswar, 752050, India

    Suchismita Srichandan

  3. School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Bhubaneswar, 751024, India

    Aradhana Basu & Suraj K. Tripathy

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  1. Sanjiba Kumar Baliarsingh
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  2. Aneesh Anandrao Lotliker
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  3. Suchismita Srichandan
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  5. T. M. Balakrishnan Nair
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Correspondence to Aneesh Anandrao Lotliker.

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Baliarsingh, S.K., Lotliker, A.A., Srichandan, S. et al. Effect of Tidal Cycle on Escherichia coli Variability in a Tropical Estuary. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 106, 622–628 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-021-03106-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-021-03106-w

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