Influence of Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) on Concentration and Distribution of Escherichia coli in Water Surrounding an Informal Floating Community in Iquitos, Peru
Abstract Floating communities exist throughout the world. Many live on water with a high pathogen load due to difficulties associated with sewage management. In Claverito, an informal floating community in Iquitos, Peru, we conducted a controlled experiment to test the ability of water hyacinth (Eic...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
American Geophysical Union (AGU)
2023-04-01
|
| Series: | GeoHealth |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GH000768 |
| _version_ | 1797825562664763392 |
|---|---|
| author | Rebecca B. Neumann Susan Paredes Fernández Leann Andrews Jorge A. Alarcón InterACTION Labs Working Group |
| author_facet | Rebecca B. Neumann Susan Paredes Fernández Leann Andrews Jorge A. Alarcón InterACTION Labs Working Group |
| author_sort | Rebecca B. Neumann |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Floating communities exist throughout the world. Many live on water with a high pathogen load due to difficulties associated with sewage management. In Claverito, an informal floating community in Iquitos, Peru, we conducted a controlled experiment to test the ability of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) to remove Escherichia coli from water. When river E. coli concentrations were at or below ∼1,500 CFU 100 mL−1, water hyacinth reduced shallow concentrations (8 cm depth) down to levels deemed safe by U.S. EPA for recreational use. Above this threshold, plants were able to reduce E. coli levels within shallow water, but not down to “safe” levels. At deeper depths (>25 cm), there was evidence that plants increased E. coli concentrations. Water hyacinth removed E. coli from shallow water by providing a surface (i.e., submerged roots) onto which E. coli sorbed and by protecting organisms that can potentially consume E. coli. Unfortunately, because of root association, the total E. coli load within the water column was greater with water hyacinth present. The use of water hyacinth to keep surface water around floating communities low in E. coli could be beneficial as this is the water layer with which people most likely interact. Aquatic vegetation naturally proliferates in and around Claverito. While this study was based on curating aquatic plants in order to achieve a water‐quality outcome, it nonetheless supports concrete actions for Claverito residents under non‐curated conditions, which are outlined at the end of the manuscript. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T10:55:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e3104695c93e417285540f12412d2640 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2471-1403 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T10:55:47Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | American Geophysical Union (AGU) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | GeoHealth |
| spelling | doaj.art-e3104695c93e417285540f12412d26402023-05-17T04:35:48ZengAmerican Geophysical Union (AGU)GeoHealth2471-14032023-04-0174n/an/a10.1029/2022GH000768Influence of Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) on Concentration and Distribution of Escherichia coli in Water Surrounding an Informal Floating Community in Iquitos, PeruRebecca B. Neumann0Susan Paredes Fernández1Leann Andrews2Jorge A. Alarcón3InterACTION Labs Working Group4University of Washington Seattle WA USAUniversity of Antwerp Antwerp BelgiumPennsylvania State University State College PA USAUniversity of Washington Seattle WA USAUniversity of Washington Seattle WA USAAbstract Floating communities exist throughout the world. Many live on water with a high pathogen load due to difficulties associated with sewage management. In Claverito, an informal floating community in Iquitos, Peru, we conducted a controlled experiment to test the ability of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) to remove Escherichia coli from water. When river E. coli concentrations were at or below ∼1,500 CFU 100 mL−1, water hyacinth reduced shallow concentrations (8 cm depth) down to levels deemed safe by U.S. EPA for recreational use. Above this threshold, plants were able to reduce E. coli levels within shallow water, but not down to “safe” levels. At deeper depths (>25 cm), there was evidence that plants increased E. coli concentrations. Water hyacinth removed E. coli from shallow water by providing a surface (i.e., submerged roots) onto which E. coli sorbed and by protecting organisms that can potentially consume E. coli. Unfortunately, because of root association, the total E. coli load within the water column was greater with water hyacinth present. The use of water hyacinth to keep surface water around floating communities low in E. coli could be beneficial as this is the water layer with which people most likely interact. Aquatic vegetation naturally proliferates in and around Claverito. While this study was based on curating aquatic plants in order to achieve a water‐quality outcome, it nonetheless supports concrete actions for Claverito residents under non‐curated conditions, which are outlined at the end of the manuscript.https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GH000768water qualityaquatic vegetationslumsanitationenvironmental healthpublic health |
| spellingShingle | Rebecca B. Neumann Susan Paredes Fernández Leann Andrews Jorge A. Alarcón InterACTION Labs Working Group Influence of Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) on Concentration and Distribution of Escherichia coli in Water Surrounding an Informal Floating Community in Iquitos, Peru GeoHealth water quality aquatic vegetation slum sanitation environmental health public health |
| title | Influence of Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) on Concentration and Distribution of Escherichia coli in Water Surrounding an Informal Floating Community in Iquitos, Peru |
| title_full | Influence of Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) on Concentration and Distribution of Escherichia coli in Water Surrounding an Informal Floating Community in Iquitos, Peru |
| title_fullStr | Influence of Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) on Concentration and Distribution of Escherichia coli in Water Surrounding an Informal Floating Community in Iquitos, Peru |
| title_full_unstemmed | Influence of Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) on Concentration and Distribution of Escherichia coli in Water Surrounding an Informal Floating Community in Iquitos, Peru |
| title_short | Influence of Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) on Concentration and Distribution of Escherichia coli in Water Surrounding an Informal Floating Community in Iquitos, Peru |
| title_sort | influence of water hyacinth eichhornia crassipes on concentration and distribution of escherichia coli in water surrounding an informal floating community in iquitos peru |
| topic | water quality aquatic vegetation slum sanitation environmental health public health |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GH000768 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT rebeccabneumann influenceofwaterhyacintheichhorniacrassipesonconcentrationanddistributionofescherichiacoliinwatersurroundinganinformalfloatingcommunityiniquitosperu AT susanparedesfernandez influenceofwaterhyacintheichhorniacrassipesonconcentrationanddistributionofescherichiacoliinwatersurroundinganinformalfloatingcommunityiniquitosperu AT leannandrews influenceofwaterhyacintheichhorniacrassipesonconcentrationanddistributionofescherichiacoliinwatersurroundinganinformalfloatingcommunityiniquitosperu AT jorgeaalarcon influenceofwaterhyacintheichhorniacrassipesonconcentrationanddistributionofescherichiacoliinwatersurroundinganinformalfloatingcommunityiniquitosperu AT interactionlabsworkinggroup influenceofwaterhyacintheichhorniacrassipesonconcentrationanddistributionofescherichiacoliinwatersurroundinganinformalfloatingcommunityiniquitosperu |