MICROBIAL MOBILIZATION FROM URBAN SOILS TO ADJACENT LAKES AND PONDS

Anthropogenic activities cause an increase of organic materials and nutrients and this poses a serious threat in urban environments. The densities of fecal indicator bacteria (FIBs) in the urban area exhibit a clear land-use dependency in the natural water and are often linked with nutrient inputs. Data from preliminary investigation indicated elevated FIBs in soil and water of a NYC lake even in the winter. Very few studies on mobilization of FIBs in natural water from surrounding soils were reported in NYC area. In an attempt to study temporal and spatial bio-geochemical dynamics of both fresh water lake and pond environments, the study was done in two fresh water lakes and two ponds that vary in terms of recreational activities and different environmental settings. This study focused on environmental research to improve understanding of FIBs transport processes in the environmental system which is a critical aspect of decision-making in risk assessment, and remediation strategies. Preliminary results were found to exceed the EPA permissible limit for FIBs with average counts of 714, 28 and 35 MPN/100mL for total Coliform, E. coli and Enterococci respectively. Soil microbes showed a wide range of counts from 800 to 80,200 counts/kg for total Coliform.