The results of a study by a master's student in environmental and resource science at the University of Iceland indicate that considerable faecal pollution occurs in natural pools if the flow is small and the number of guests is large.
Master's Lecture in Environmental and Resource Studies - Berglind Ósk Þ. Þórólfsdóttir
Supervisor: Viggó Þór Marteinsson, Matís.
Examiner: Eva Benediktsdóttir
When does this event start:
May 15, 2012 - 11:00 to 12:30
Event location: Box
Further location:
Living room 131
Abstract
Natural pools are defined as pools with geothermal water that are not treated by disinfection, radiation or other cleaning. With the increase in tourists in Iceland, the pressure on the country's most popular natural pools will increase, but this can affect their health and safety. Today, there are no specific rules for natural pools, as the water is not for consumption and the pools are not defined as swimming pools in operation. Little has been done to determine whether the pools are in fact as healthy as they are now. In this study, a microbiological analysis was performed in three different natural pools in Iceland; to Lýsuhóll, Hveravellir and Landmannalaugar. The total bacterial count was studied by cell count and by culture at 22 ° C, 37 ° C and 50 ° C. Screening was done before Escherichia coli, Enterococcus spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa and noroviruses. Cultured and non-cultured bacteria from the pools were genotyped by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The safety aspects of natural pools were also assessed in terms of risk and compared with the requirements for swimming pools, as well as the responsibility factor of tourism operators was assessed through a survey. The result led to the division of pools into three categories. The results of the study indicate that there is considerable faecal pollution in natural pools if the flow is low and the number of visitors is high. Then there is the number Pseudomonas spp. great in natural pools, and some species are classified as opportunistic pathogens. Norovirus was not detected in the three pools. The microbial diversity detected by 16S rRNA gene cloning and sequencing was quite diverse and varied between pools. Safety issues are lacking in the pools that fall into Category 3, but these are the pools that will become operational and will fully comply with regulations in the future.