Journal
MICROORGANISMS
Volume 11, Issue 8, Pages -Publisher
MDPI
DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11082031
Keywords
pathogen contamination; beach sand microbiome; WGS; quicklime; decontamination
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Beach sand can harbor potential human pathogens, posing a threat to public health. However, the monitoring of sand microbiome is rarely conducted to assess beach quality. This study analyzed the microbial population of a Northern Adriatic Sea beach sand, finding the presence of drug-resistant strains and suggesting quicklime as a possible method to decontaminate sand.
Beach sand may act as a reservoir for potential human pathogens, posing a public health risk. Despite this, the microbiological monitoring of sand microbiome is rarely performed to determine beach quality. In this study, the sand microbial population of a Northern Adriatic Sea beach sand was profiled by microbiological (CFU counts) and molecular methods (WGS, microarray), showing significant presence of potential human pathogens including drug-resistant strains. Consistent with these results, the potential of quicklime as a restoring method was tested in vitro and on-field. Collected data showed that adding 1-3% quicklime (w/w) to sand provided an up to -99% of bacteria, fungi, and viruses, in a dose- and time-dependent manner, till 45 days post-treatment. In conclusion, data suggest that accurate monitoring of sand microbiome may be essential, besides water, to assess beach quality and safety. Moreover, first evidences of quicklime potential for sand decontamination are provided, suggesting its usage as a possible way to restore the microbiological quality of sand in highly contaminated areas.
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