Affiliation:
1. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA
2. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Cryptosporidium parvum
oocysts are able to infect a wide range of mammals, including humans, via fecal-oral transmission. The remobilization of biofilm-associated
C. parvum
oocysts back into the water column by biofilm sloughing or bulk erosion poses a threat to public health and may be responsible for waterborne outbreaks; thus, the investigation of
C. parvum
attachment mechanisms to biofilms, particularly the physical and chemical factors controlling oocyst attachment to biofilms, is essential to predict the behavior of oocysts in the environment. In our study, biofilms were grown in rotating annular bioreactors using prefiltered stream water (0.2-μm retention) and rock biofilms (6-μm retention) until the mean biofilm thickness reached steady state. Oocyst deposition followed a calcium-mediated pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Kinetic parameters (i.e., initial oocyst deposition rate constant and total number of oocysts adhered to biofilms at equilibrium) from the model were then used to evaluate the impact of water conductivity on the attachment of oocysts to biofilms. Oocyst deposition was independent of solution ionic strength; instead, the presence of calcium enhanced oocyst attachment, as demonstrated by deposition tests. Calcium was identified as the predominant factor that bridges the carboxylic functional groups on biofilm and oocyst surfaces to cause attachment. The pseudo-second-order kinetic profile fit all experimental conditions, regardless of water chemistry and/or lighting conditions.
IMPORTANCE
The cation bridging model in our study provides new insights into the impact of calcium on the attachment of
C. parvum
oocysts to environmental biofilms. The kinetic parameters derived from the model could be further analyzed to elucidate the behavior of oocysts in commonly encountered complex aquatic systems, which will enable future innovations in parasite detection and treatment technologies to protect public health.
Funder
National Science Foundation
Publisher
American Society for Microbiology
Subject
Ecology,Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology,Food Science,Biotechnology
Cited by
14 articles.
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