Microbial Source Tracking: Methods, Applications, and Case Studies

Understanding the origin of fecal pollution is essential in assessing potential health risks as well as for determining the actions necessary to remediate the quality of waters contaminated by fecal matter. As a result, microbial source tracking (MST) has emerged as a field that has evolved and diversified rapidly since the first approaches were described only a decade ago. In response to the emergence of MST, there have been three large multi-laboratory method comparison studies (two in the US and one in Europe), plus numerous workshops, book chapters, and review articles dedicated to synthesizing information on the topic. Furthermore, a federal (USEPA) guide document describing the uses and limitations of MST methods was published in 2005, and a book dedicated to MST as an emerging issue in food safety was published in 2007. These documents provide a collective body of literature on MST that is both conflicting and complementary, often repetitious, and difficult to condense and interpret. In addition, it does not reflect the current diversity of MST approaches with different organisms, newer methodologies such as quantitative PCR, and anthropogenic chemicals, nor does it embrace the scope of MST research being conducted around the world.

The three editors of the book, all with extensive MST expertise, have developed chapters and invited authors who reflect the rich diversity and truly international scope of MST. The unifying theme throughout the book is the design of more standardized approaches to MST that include performance criteria (regardless of method or organism), plus recommendations for field study design and MST implementation. The editors intend that this book will serve as a valuable reference for all those who are involved with

Microbial source tracking (MST) is a sub-discipline of environmental microbiology that has emerged and grown in response to the inability of conventional fecal indicator bacteria (such as Escherichia coli and enterococci) to discriminate among the many possible sources of fecal pollution in environmental waters. MST’s current and potential applications range from beach monitoring to total maximum daily load (TMDL) assessment of pollution sources, which in turn will mediate greater protection of public health and improvement of environmental water quality.

This comprehensive book taps the expertise of many of the leading research scientists from an international assemblage, and considers a geographic range from the U.S. to China, New Zealand, Australia, and the EU. It addresses subjects ranging from the fundamentals of MST methods, their pros and cons, and performance criteria necessary during method development, and application, to case studies from beach, agricultural, and urban watersheds. Separate chapters focus on viral-, protozoan-, chemical-, and mitochondrial DNA-based methods. Specialized topics include legal and TMDL-associated issues, public perceptions, statistical analysis, food safety, national security, and using MST in undergraduate education.

The audience for this work will include advanced undergraduate and graduate students from scientific and engineering disciplines who are interested in microbial water quality, research scientists, regulators, and others interested in the fundamentals, applications and interpretation of MST methods and data.