Multi-scale influences on Escherichia coli concentrations in shellfish: From catchment to estuary

Shelagh K. Malham; Helen Taft; Kata Farkas; Cai J.T. Ladd; Mathew Seymour; Peter E. Robins; Davey L. Jones; James E. McDonald; Lewis Le Vay; Laurence Jones

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2024.125476

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Multi-scale influences on Escherichia coli concentrations in shellfish: From catchment to estuary

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Multi-scale influences on Escherichia coli concentrations in shellfish: From catchment to estuary

Shelagh K. Malham, Helen Taft, Kata Farkas, Cai J.T. Ladd, Mathew Seymour, Peter E. Robins, Davey L. Jones, James E. McDonald, Lewis Le Vay and Laurence Jones

Environmental pollution (1987), Vol.366, 125476

2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2024.125476

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Abstract

Active management system

Public health risk

Sewage discharges

Shellfish contamination

Water quality

Sustainability of bivalve shellfish farming relies on clean coastal waters, however, high levels of faecal indicator organisms (FIOs, e.g. Escherichia coli) in shellfish results in temporary closure of shellfish harvesting beds to protect human health, but with economic consequences for the shellfish industry. Active Management Systems which can predict FIO contamination may help reduce shellfishery closures. This study evaluated predictors of E. coli concentrations in two shellfish species, the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) and the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas), at different spatial and temporal scales, within 12 estuaries in England and Wales. We aimed to: (i) identify consistent catchment-scale or within-estuary predictors of elevated E. coli levels in shellfish, (ii) evaluate whether high river flows associated with rainfall events were a significant predictor of shellfish E. coli concentrations, and the time lag between these events and E. coli accumulation, and (iii) whether operation of Combined Sewer Overflows (CSO) is associated with higher E. coli concentrations in shellfish. A cross-catchment analysis gave a good predictive model for contamination management (R2 = 0.514), with positive relationships between E. coli concentrations and river flow (p = 0.001), turbidity (p = 0.002) and nitrate (p = 0.042). No effect was observed for catchment area, the number of point source discharges, or agricultural land use type. 64% of all shellfish beds showed a significant relationship between E. coli and river flow, with typical lag-times of 1–3 days. Detailed analysis of the Conwy estuary indicated that E. coli counts were consistently higher when the CSO had been active the previous week. In conclusion, we demonstrate that real-time river flow and water quality data may be used to predict potential risk of E. coli contamination in shellfish at the catchment level, however, further refinement (coupling to fine-scale hydrodynamic models) is needed to make accurate predictions for individual shellfish beds within estuaries. [Display omitted]

Details

Title: Multi-scale influences on Escherichia coli concentrations in shellfish: From catchment to estuary
Authors/Creators: Shelagh K. Malham - Bangor University
Helen Taft - Bangor University
Kata Farkas - Bangor University
Cai J.T. Ladd - School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University, Menai Bridge, Anglesey, LL59 5 A, UKB, UK
Mathew Seymour - School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China
Peter E. Robins - Bangor University
Davey L. Jones - Murdoch University, Centre for Sustainable Farming Systems
James E. McDonald - Bangor University
Lewis Le Vay - School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University, Menai Bridge, Anglesey, LL59 5 A, UKB, UK
Laurence Jones - Bangor University
Publication Details: Environmental pollution (1987), Vol.366, 125476
Publisher: Elsevier Ltd
Number of pages: 11
Grant note: Food Standards Agency FSA Project: FS103001 Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)Food Standards Agency (FSA) under the Environmental Microbiology and Human Health (EMHH) Programme: NE/M010996/1 European Union: 101057764 UKRI/HM Government
This work was funded through the Food Standards Agency FSA Project FS103001 supplemented by funding from Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) under the Environmental Microbiology and Human Health (EMHH) Programme (NE/M010996/1) . This research has also been part-funded through the BlueAdapt Project ( www.blueadapt.eu, accessed on May 27, 2024) . BlueAdapt has received funding from the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101057764 and by the UKRI/HM Government. Funding sources have had no involvement in the decision to submit this article for publication.
Identifiers: 991005723864907891
Murdoch Affiliation: Food Futures Institute
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration; International collaboration
Citation topics: 1 Clinical & Life Sciences; 1.246 Diarrheal Diseases; 1.246.1380 Water Sanitation
Web Of Science research areas: Environmental Sciences
ESI research areas: Environment/Ecology