The use of microbial source tracking to assess and predict water quality in river catchments

摘要: Water is a basic human need (Millennium Development Goal-Target 10) and central element in all civilisations, yet microbial contamination of surface waters used for drinking, contact recreation, shellfishery provides an effective vehicle the spread waterborne diseases outbreaks that can cause illness or death humans. Microbial pathogens remain most direct, real pervasive risk to health, especially Less Economically Developed Countries. However, water quality managers are restricted providing monitoring management designs strategies by inability identify routinely source contamination. many likely deteriorate further as result climate change. This research River Ouse catchment (SE England) test-bed investigate application simple low-cost approaches be applied other river catchments, monitor manage during various meteorological conditions seasons. This novel approach first time such methods have been combined order study catchment. As such, it represents significant advancement our understanding complex environmental processes ability mitigate adverse impacts.