Understanding the Nature of Pathogens and their Impact On the Environment - Research Paper Example

Understanding the Nature of Pathogens and their Impact On The Environment I. Introduction According to the United s Environment Protection Agency (EPA), pathogens are micro-organisms such as viruses, protozoa and other organisms that are responsible for certain types of diseases. As for protozoa, these are single-celled microbes that live water, eat bacteria and may be parasitic. Cryptosporidium and giardia lamblia are two most common types of protozoa found in the water (see www.epa.gov ). The cryptosporidium is a single-celled microbe that may cause a disease called cryptosporidiosis. Cryptosporidiosis may be life threatening to people whose immune systems are already severely compromised (see www.epa.gov). Giardia lamblia on the other hand can cause gastrointestinal disease called giardiasis. Symptoms of this disease include fatigue, cramps and diarrhea. Aside from total coliforms and protozoa, viruses including hepatitis A virus, Norwalk virus and rotaviruses can also contaminate water (see www.epa.gov). To predict the present of pathogens in the bayou, we need to use pathogen indicators. Pathogen indicators are set of parameters that are used to determine the kind and amounts of contaminants in the water. Good pathogen indicators should be non-pathogenic but have the survival characteristics as pathogens, they should be closely associated with pathogens, they should not replicate in the environment and they should be easily detected and enumerated (see http://www.epi-net.org/eng/IndicatorPathogensBy30Nov.pdf). For instance, total coliforms are usually used as indicator for fecal contamination (see www.epa.gov) . Coliforms are mostly harmless bacteria that live in the water, in the soil and in the gut of animals (see www.epa.gov). The presence of total coliforms is easily detected thus; this indicator is often used for water quality monitoring. However, the absence of total coliforms in the water does not mean that the water is free from pathogens. The existence of pathogens in the bayou can have serious impact into the lives of the people living near the bayou. As it is, it necessary that people in this area should know more about the threats brought by pathogens. For the purpose of this essay, we will discuss the different sources of pathogens and the possible means to control it. II. Sources of Pathogens According to EPA, pathogens that are found in the water during dry season usually come from leaking septic tanks, sewage discharges, and runoff from animal feedlots into bodies of water. Other sources of pathogens to the bayou during dry season are ruminant animals (i.e. cows, horses and the likes), companion animals (i.e. dogs, cats etc.) and wildlife (see www.epa.gov). If there a lot of animals that frequently visit the bayou, there is a big chance that the bayou maybe contaminated with fecal matters. During rainy season, the density of pathogens in the water may increase. The increase in the volume of pathogens in the water may be caused by run-offs from farms and other areas where fecal deposits are located. Note that during the rainy seasons, land application of sewage and sludge, animal manure application and fecal deposits at the farms can washout into the bodies of water causing contaminations (see www.epa.gov). According to the EPA, the fate and transport processes involved as the pathogens move from the land surface to the bodies of water may also affect pathogens. In this case, pathogen fate and transport process involved are the release of the pathogens from the manure or the fecal contaminant to the flowing water of the bayou, the interaction of the pathogens, fecal particles, plants and clays, biotic effects and the partition of pathogens from water to sediment particles and soil (see www.usda.gov). The different fate and transport processes may further enhance the toxicity of the pathogens thereby making these pathogens more deadly to animals and humans (see www.usda.gov). The interaction between contaminants could also result to the creation of different types of pathogens. While the pathogens are in transit, the pathogens are affected by in-stream fate and transport processes. The possible in-stream fate and transport process in this case would be the (a) the dissolution of contaminants into the water column, (b) the volatilization of the pathogens into the atmosphere through precipitation, (c) the absorption of the pathogens into the sediments suspended in the water column and (d) the incorporation of the pathogens into the food chain when the pathogens are eaten by fish and other aquatic animals in the bayou (see www.usda.gov). The pathogen pollutions problem in the urban and the rural area may differ in nature and in gravity. In the urban areas, the sources of pathogens are mostly leaking septic tanks, sewage discharges and to some degree, industrial waste (see www.epa.gov). In heavily populated areas, the sewage discharges to bodies of water may be high so there is a big possibility that bodies of water where these discharges are made will have high levels of pathogens and other forms of contaminants. On the other hand, the sources of pathogens in the rural area are usually municipal waste and agricultural waste (see www.epa.gov). These types of contaminants are not necessary less toxic than the types of contaminants polluting bodies of water in urban areas but just the same, the contaminants that may be released into bodies of water in the rural areas are still harmful to human health. According to the EPA, most if not all industries that generate pathogens are currently being regulated and controlled by the government. At present, the EPA only listed two types of contaminants that are currently not being regulated and these contaminants are non-pathogenic but rather chemical in nature. These two chemical contaminants are MTBE and radon. According to the EPA, MTBE are currently being used in gasoline throughout the United States “to reduce carbon monoxide and ozone levels caused by emissions” (see www.epa.gov). On the other hand, radon is one of the most common naturally-occurring radioactive gases that are known to cause cancer. This type of gas may be found in drinking water and indoor air. III. Possible Control Measures Over the years, the US government through the EPA has developed several control measures to reduce the impact of pathogens on the environment and on the health of humans and animals alike. One of the key regulations that the EPA has developed is the Surface Water Treatment Rule. This rule outlines the treatment needed for surface water, when the tests and treatments should be conducted, who should conduct these tests and treatments and these tests and treatments should be carried out. There are also a lot of literatures developed by the EPA on the ways and means to reduce the amount of pathogens in the water. Since water treatment can be quite costly, the EPA strongly recommends prevention instead of treatment. As water users, if we are to reduce the amount of pathogens in the bayou without spending a lot of money, we need to reduce the amount of pathogens from the source. This means that we need to (a) ensure that our septic tanks are sealed, (b) secure animal feedlots to minimize runoffs of contaminants when it rains, (c) properly compost animal manure before using it as farm fertilizer, (d) dispose of our garbage properly and see to it that out pets do just defecate in open spaces, (e) do not store animal manure and other possible sources of pathogens in open containers and (f) keep our surroundings clean especially before the onset of the rainy season. IV. Conclusions The several studies conducted by the EPA show that pathogens can be a big problem when it comes to water quality. Contaminated water can trigger a host of water borne diseases that may prove to be deadly. Fortunately, the government through regulations and control measures has been quite successful in controlling the proliferation of pathogens in bayous and other bodies of water. The existence of government bodies like the EPA has made regulations and control over water quality more successful. References: 1. EPI-Net Perspective http://www.epi-net.org/eng/IndicatorPathogensBy30Nov.pdf 2. United States Department of Agriculture https://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publications.htm?SEQ_NO_115=163091 3. United States Environmental Protection Agency http://www.epa.gov/enviro/html/icr/pathogens.html 4. United States Environmental Protection Agency http://www.epa.gov/enviro/html/icr/gloss_path.html Read More