Significance of fecal coliform and fecal streptococcus in water pollution monitoring

Abstract

The experimental results showed that the fecal coliform (FC) to fecal streptococcus (FS) ratio (FC/FS) in the human feces and in warm-blooded animal feces were rather different. FC/FS ratio in the human feces was greater than 7.0, and in warm-blooded animal feces was less than 1.0. Therefore, under certain conditions, the FC/FS ratio of polluted water may be used as an index to distinguish human fecal pollution from animal fecal pollution.

Keywords

fecal coliform / fecal streptococcus / water pollution / bacteriological indicator

References

[1] MallmanWL. A comparative study of media for the detection of streptococci in water and sewage. Am J Pub Health, 1950, 40286-286

[2] LitskyW, et al. . Comparison of the most probable numbers of E. coli and enterococci in river waters. Am J Pub Health, 1955, 451049-1049

[3] SlanetzLW, et al. . Numbers of enterococci in water, sewage, and feces determined by membrane filter technique with an improved medium. J Bacteriol, 1957, 74591-591

[4] KennerBA, et al. . Fecal streptococci, cultivation and enumeration of streptococci in surface waters. Appl Microbiol, 1961, 915-15

[5] GeldreichEE. Concepts of fecal streptococci in stream pollution. J WPCF, 1969, 41R336-R336

[6] Am Pub Health Assn: Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater, ed 14, 1976

[7] 1975