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Journal article
Assessment of Water Quality in Roof-Harvested Rainwater Barrels in Greater Philadelphia
Water (Basel), v 10(2)
01 Feb 2018
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
A study of water quality parameters was conducted in 38 small-scale roof-harvested rainwater barrels (RHRB) located in urban and peri-urban Philadelphia, USA in winter (November-December) 2014 and summer (June-August 2016). Parameters included two fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) (Escherichia coli and Enterococcus spp.) measured using culture-based methods, eight potential enteric and opportunistic pathogens (Campylobacter jejuni, Acanthamoeba spp., Legionella spp., L. pneumophila, Naegleria fowleri, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Mycobacterium avium and Mycobacterium intracellulare) measured using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and two metals (lead and zinc) using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Fecal indicator bacteria were detected in greater than 60% RHRB samples and concentrations (up to >10(3) per 100 mL) exceeded US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) irrigation water quality standards. Among the enteric and opportunistic pathogens tested, 57.9, 44.7, 21.1, 18.4, 5 and 3% were PCR positive for Legionella spp., M. intracellulare, M. avium, Acanthamoeba spp., P. aeruginosa, and C. jejuni, respectively. N. fowleri and L. pneumophila were not detected in any sample. The concentrations of enteric and opportunistic pathogens ranged from 10(2) to 10(7) gene copies/L of barrel water. Lead and zinc were each observed in 88.5% of RHRB but the concentrations did not exceed US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) standards for irrigating produce, with the exception of one zinc observation (2660 mu g/L). Based on these data, it appears that the risk associated with metals in RHRB is likely to be low, as these barrels are only used for gardening and non-potable purposes. However, risks due to fecal and opportunistic pathogens may be higher due to exposure to aerosols during gardening activities and produce consumed raw, and should be investigated further.
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Details
- Title
- Assessment of Water Quality in Roof-Harvested Rainwater Barrels in Greater Philadelphia
- Creators
- Kerry A. Hamilton - Drexel UniversityKerrianne Parrish - Drexel UniversityWarish Ahmed - Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research OrganisationCharles N. Haas - Drexel University
- Publication Details
- Water (Basel), v 10(2)
- Publisher
- Mdpi
- Number of pages
- 15
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000426775500003
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85041216716
- Other Identifier
- 991019169681804721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Environmental Sciences
- Water Resources