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Impact of low intensity summer rainfall on E. coli-discharge event dynamics with reference to sample acquisition and storage

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Abstract

Understanding the role of different rainfall scenarios on faecal indicator organism (FIO) dynamics under variable field conditions is important to strengthen the evidence base on which regulators and land managers can base informed decisions regarding diffuse microbial pollution risks. We sought to investigate the impact of low intensity summer rainfall on Escherichia coli-discharge (Q) patterns at the headwater catchment scale in order to provide new empirical data on FIO concentrations observed during baseflow conditions. In addition, we evaluated the potential impact of using automatic samplers to collect and store freshwater samples for subsequent microbial analysis during summer storm sampling campaigns. The temporal variation of E. coli concentrations with Q was captured during six events throughout a relatively dry summer in central Scotland. The relationship between E. coli concentration and Q was complex with no discernible patterns of cell emergence with Q that were repeated across all events. On several occasions, an order of magnitude increase in E. coli concentrations occurred even with slight increases in Q, but responses were not consistent and highlighted the challenges of attempting to characterise temporal responses of E. coli concentrations relative to Q during low intensity rainfall. Cross-comparison of E. coli concentrations determined in water samples using simultaneous manual grab and automated sample collection was undertaken with no difference in concentrations observed between methods. However, the duration of sample storage within the autosampler unit was found to be more problematic in terms of impacting on the representativeness of microbial water quality, with unrefrigerated autosamplers exhibiting significantly different concentrations of E. coli relative to initial samples after 12-h storage. The findings from this study provide important empirical contributions to the growing evidence base in the field of catchment microbial dynamics.

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Acknowledgments

This study was part-funded by the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) in association with project WQ0129 and by the University of Stirling. The authors would like to acknowledge the valuable and insightful contribution of the participating farmers and are particularly grateful for land access permissions. Finally, the constructive comments from two anonymous referees helped to improve the overall quality of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Biological and Environmental Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, Scotland, FK9 4LA, UK

    David M. Oliver, Kenneth D. H. Porter & Richard S. Quilliam

  2. Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YQ, UK

    A. Louise Heathwaite

  3. CEH Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK

    Ting Zhang

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  1. David M. Oliver
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  2. Kenneth D. H. Porter
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  3. A. Louise Heathwaite
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  4. Ting Zhang
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  5. Richard S. Quilliam
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Correspondence to David M. Oliver.

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Oliver, D.M., Porter, K.D.H., Louise Heathwaite, A. et al. Impact of low intensity summer rainfall on E. coli-discharge event dynamics with reference to sample acquisition and storage. Environ Monit Assess 187, 426 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-015-4628-x

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