Hostname: page-component-77c89778f8-5wvtr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-18T15:12:43.688Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Bacteriological examination of the water supply on an Antarctic base

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2009

Clive Harker
Clive Harker
Affiliation:
British Antarctic Survey Medical Unit, Centre for Offshore Health, Robert Gordon's Institute of Technology, Aberdeen
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Faraday Base represents a small isolated community producing its own domestic water by desalination of sea water. During the Antarctic winter of 1986 (April to October), regular bacteriological examination of the water supply and surrounding sea took place. Samples were collected and examined every 2 weeks by the methods described in the Department of Health and Social Security Report No. 71, on the Bacteriological Examination of Drinking Water Supplies (DHSS, 1982), for membrane filtration and colony counting. The results of these examinations are presented in this paper. The results obtained suggest that water of good bacteriological quality was produced by the desalination plant, but some samples from the distribution system contained coliforms or presumptive Escherichia coli in small numbers. The possible reasons for this low-level contamination are discussed. No cases of gastroenteritis occurred on the base during this time.

Type
Research Article
Information
Epidemiology & Infection , Volume 102 , Issue 1 , February 1989 , pp. 105 - 112
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1989

References

REFERENCES

Agg, A. R. & Stanfield, G. (1979). Effect of sewage outfalls on marine water quality in the U.K. In Biological Indicators of Water Quality(ed. James, A.Evison, L., pp. 15/1–15/19. Chichester: Wiley Interscience.Google Scholar
Bonde, G. J. (1977). Bacterial indication of water pollution. In Advances in Aquatic Microbiology. vol. 1 ed. Dropp, M. R.Jannasch, H. W.). pp. 273–364. London: Academic Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Commission Of The European Communities (1975). Council directive of the 16th June 1975 concerning the quality required of surface water intended for the abstraction of drinking water in the member states. Official Journal of the European Communities 75/440/E.E.C., L194/26–L194/38. 07 1975.Google Scholar
D.H.S.S., (1982). The Bacteriological Examination of Drinking Water Supplies. 5th ed. Report on Public Health and Medical Subjects. No. 71. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office.Google Scholar
El Attar, L., Gawad, A. A., Khairy, A. E. M. & El Sebaie, O. (1982). The sanitary condition of rural Drinking water in a Nile Delta village. II. Bacterial contamination of drinking water in a Nile Delta village. Journal of Hygiene 88, 63–67.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Elliot, D. H. (1964). The Petrology of the Argentine Islands. British Antarctic Survey Scientific Report. No. 41, pp. 13.Google Scholar
Fleisher, J. M. (1985). Implications of coliform variability in the assessment of the sanitary quality of recreational waters. Journal of Hygiene 94, 193–200.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Moore, B. (1959). Sewage contamination of coastal bathing water in England and Wales, a bacteriological and epidemiological study. Journal of Hygiene 57, 435–472.Google Scholar
P.H.L.S., & S.C.A., (1980). Membrane filtration media for the enumeration of coliform organisms and Escherichia coli in water: comparison of Tergitol 7 and lauryl sulphate with Teepol 610 by a joint committee of the Public Health Laboratory Service and the standing Committee of Analysts. Journal of Hygiene 85, 181–191.Google Scholar
Rakhmanin, IU. A., (1980). Sanitary microbiologic evaluation of the distillation method of desalinating water. Gigiena i Sanitaria (Moskva). 01.; (1) 12–5 (Eng. Abstr.).Google Scholar
Young, B. & Briscoe, J. (1987). A case controlled study of the effect of environmental sanitation on diarrhoea morbidity in Malawi. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 42, 83–88.CrossRefGoogle Scholar