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Microbiological Quality and Antibiotic Resistance Analysis of a Brazilian Water Supply Source

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Abstract

Water samples of the Passaúna River, Curitiba/Paraná (Brazil), were analyzed to determine total and thermotolerant coliform counts and Escherichia coli in order to provide information on human impacts on the water supply. Samples were collected and analyzed monthly, from March 2006 to February 2007, at five different locations along the river, and the multiple tube method was used to obtain total and thermotolerant coliform counts. The results varied from 130 MPN/100 mL to 1.6 × 106 MPN/100 mL for total coliforms, while for thermotolerant coliforms the variation was between 40 MPN/100 mL and 5 × 105 MPN/100 mL. The E. coli strains isolated from the samples were tested with 13 different antibiotics to determine their antibiotic resistance. The isolated strains were constantly sensitive to seven of the 13 antibiotics tested, and resistant to at least one of the other antibiotics. The results indicated that two factors could influence the increased contamination on this river, viz., seasonality parameters and domestic wastewater discharges. The determination of antibiotic resistance indices aimed to provide information on the anthropogenic influence. Only one of the locations investigated was considered critical due to the anthropogenic influence, with significant impacts from irregular domestic wastewater discharges.

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Acknowledgment

This research was supported by Universidade Positivo (UP), Brazil.

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Author notes

  1. Eliane Carvalho de Vasconcelos

    Present address: Universidade Positivo, Professor Pedro V. Parigot de Souza 5300 Campo Comprido, 81280-330, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate Program in Environmental Management, Universidade Positivo, Rua Professor Pedro V. Parigot de Souza 5300, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil, 81280-330

    Trajano Felipe Barrabas Xavier da Silva, Débora Toledo Ramos, Maurício Dziedzic, Cíntia Mara Ribas de Oliveira & Eliane Carvalho de Vasconcelos

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  1. Trajano Felipe Barrabas Xavier da Silva
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  2. Débora Toledo Ramos
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  3. Maurício Dziedzic
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  4. Cíntia Mara Ribas de Oliveira
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  5. Eliane Carvalho de Vasconcelos
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Correspondence to Eliane Carvalho de Vasconcelos.

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da Silva, T.F.B.X., Ramos, D.T., Dziedzic, M. et al. Microbiological Quality and Antibiotic Resistance Analysis of a Brazilian Water Supply Source. Water Air Soil Pollut 218, 611–618 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-010-0672-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-010-0672-x

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