Automated Humand Fecal Polllution Detection

Worldwide over two million childer die each year form eneric waterborne diseases caused by fecal pollution. Diseases such as typhoid feaver, cholera, and hepatitis A are all transmitted by fecal contaminated water. Consequently, public health departments have set strict standards for the quantity of coliform bacteria allowd in the water. These standards are, for drinking water less than 1 coliform per 100 ml of water, for unfiltered drinking water from watersheds 50/100 ml, in shellfish growing water 70/100 ml, and in swimkming water 200/200 ml. Coliforms represent a group of aerobiv, gram-negative, non-sporulating bacilli most of which are Escherichia coli. Most E. coli strains are not pathogenic but represent an indication of gecal contamination and therefore the possible presence of other more harmful fecal pathogens. Because of the requirement to detect very low levels of these bacteria (1 per 100 ml of water) rapid automated detection is very difficult. Culture techniques take 24 hours and the more rapid DNA amplification techniques require DNA purification and use of unstable enzyes and nucleotides and elaborate instrumentation, all of which are difficul and expesive to automate. In this program. we will develop an automated biosensor capable of detecting low levels of fecal microorganisms without the need for bactrial culture or DNA amplification techniques. The biosensor should be sensitive enough to detect fecal microorganisms at a level of one coliform cell per 100 ml of water within 30 minutes. The sensing element will be reusable to allow for long-term, unattended, cost-effective analysis. The sensor should also distinguish human from farm livestock sources of fecal pollution. The fianl product is envisioned as an automated buoy placed in drinking water inlet source, swimming waters, and shellfish or other aquaculture growing waters. The buoy will report fecal nicroorganism levels at set time intervals by remote telemetry communications. Sampling times may be remotely adjusted based on rainfall that can cause excessive runoff that might increase fecal pollution by overwhelming the handling capacity of sewage treatment facilities. A non-buoy based protable version of the instrument will also be developed. This protable instrument can be used to analyze water samples on-site. Backtracking bacterial levels to their source can then find the pont source of the pollution. Then site-specific remedial action can be implemented.