Removal of Pathogenic Bacteria Removal of by Wetlands
Removal of Pathogenic Bacteria Removal of by Wetlands Pathogenic Bacteria by Wetlands Benjamin Tanner
Why Wetlands? • • • Eco-friendly No addition of chemicals Natural attenuation Habitat for birds Look purdy
Pathogenic Bacteria: What are They? • Slow down…. what’s a bacteria? – Ubiquitous coinhabitants of this planet – Degraders – Can grow EXPLOSIVELY • Pathogens can cause disease – Typically are similar in terms of morphology
Where Do They Come From? • • Toilets, mainly Zoonotic sources Insect vectors Occasionally, things like soil and water
Pathogenic Bacteria Their Baggage
Pathogenic Bacteria Their Baggage
Enteric Pathogens and Pathogenesis PATHOGEN EFFECT Toxigenic E. coli HUS/ (Bloody) Diarrhea Shigella spp. HUS/ profuse GI illness and person to person transmission Camplyobacter jejuni Symptoms of “food poisoning” Toxigenic Cholera Often fatal GI illness Salmonella spp. Nausea, cramps, diarrhea Staphylococcus aureus Skin infection
Mechanisms of Inactivation/Removal • • • Sedimentation (gravity) Competition/Biotic stresses Predation (protozoan grazers) Adsorption U. V. light
Does it Work? • Approximate 2 log (99%) reduction in bacterial pathogens • Retention time is key • Subsurface vs. surface wetland – U. V – Aesthetic appeal – Insect vector control
Some Problems • Migratory birds – Salmonella, Campylobacter • Dairy Wastewater Treatment – Potentially concentrates a NASTY pathogen (O 157: H 7) from cattle • Groundwater Leaching
- Slides: 10