Evaluation of a field appropriate membrane filtration method for the detection of Vibrio cholerae for the measurement of biosand filter performance in the Artibonite Valley, Haiti.
Abstract
Biosand filters in the Artibonite Valley of Haiti, the epicenter of the cholera epidemic
that began in October 2010, were tested for total coliform and Vibrio cholerae removal
efficiencies. While coliform are often used as an indicator organism for pathogenic
bacteria, a correlation has never been established linking the concentration of coliform
and V. cholerae, the causative agent for cholera. Hence, a method for field enumeration
of V. cholerae was developed and tested. To this end, a plate count test utilizing
membrane filtration technique was developed to measure viable V. cholerae cell concentration
in the field. Method accuracy was confirmed by comparing plate count concentrations
to microscopic counts. Additionally, biosand filters were sampled and removal efficiencies
of V. cholerae and coliform bacteria compared. The correlation between removal efficiency
and time in operation, biofilm ("schmutzdecke") composition, and idle time was also
investigated. The plate count method for V. cholerae was found to accurately reflect
microscope counts and was shown to be effective in the field. Overall, coliform concentration
was not an appropriate indicator of V. cholerae concentration. In 90% of the influent
samples from the study, coliform underestimated V. cholerae concentration (n = 26).
Furthermore, coliform removal efficiency was higher than for V. cholerae hence providing
a conservative measurement. Finally, time in operation and idle time were found to
be important parameters controlling performance. Overall, this method shows promise
for field applications and should be expanded to additional studies to confirm its
efficacy to test for V. cholerae in various source waters.
Type
Journal articleSubject
CholeraEnvironmental Monitoring
Filtration
Haiti
Membranes, Artificial
Vibrio cholerae
Water Microbiology
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https://hdl.handle.net/10161/11462Published Version (Please cite this version)
10.1007/s10661-015-4677-1Publication Info
Thomson, Ashley A; & Gunsch, Claudia K (2015). Evaluation of a field appropriate membrane filtration method for the detection of
Vibrio cholerae for the measurement of biosand filter performance in the Artibonite
Valley, Haiti. Environ Monit Assess, 187(8). pp. 484. 10.1007/s10661-015-4677-1. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/11462.This is constructed from limited available data and may be imprecise. To cite this
article, please review & use the official citation provided by the journal.
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Show full item recordScholars@Duke
Claudia K. Gunsch
Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Claudia Gunsch is a Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and holds secondary
appointments in the Nicholas School of the Environment and the Department of Biomedical
Engineering. She joined the Duke Faculty in 2004 after obtaining her PhD from the
University of Texas at Austin, her MS from Clemson University and her BS from Purdue
University. Currently, she serves as the Director for PreMiEr, the National Science
Foundation Engineering Research Center for Precis

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