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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, May 2006, p. 3406-3411, Vol. 72, No. 5
0099-2240/06/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.72.5.3406-3411.2006
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Interaction of Escherichia coli and Soil Particles in Runoff

Richard William Muirhead,1,2* Robert Peter Collins,3 and Philip James Bremer1

Department of Food Science, Otago University, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, New Zealand,1 AgResearch, Invermay Agricultural Centre, Puddle Alley, Private Bag 50034, Mosgiel, New Zealand,2 National Institute for Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd., P.O. Box 11-115, Hamilton, New Zealand3

Received 14 December 2005/ Accepted 7 March 2006

A laboratory-scale model system was developed to investigate the transport mechanisms involved in the horizontal movement of bacteria in overland flow across saturated soils. A suspension of Escherichia coli and bromide tracer was added to the model system, and the bromide concentration and number of attached and unattached E. coli cells in the overland flow were measured over time. Analysis of the breakthrough curves indicated that the E. coli and bromide were transported together, presumably by the same mechanism. This implied that the E. coli was transported by advection with the flowing water. Overland-flow transport of E. coli could be significantly reduced if the cells were preattached to large soil particles (>45 µm). However, when unattached cells were inoculated into the system, the E. coli appeared to attach predominantly to small particles (<2 µm) and hence remained unattenuated during transport. These results imply that in runoff generated by saturation-excess conditions, bacteria are rapidly transported across the surface and have little opportunity to interact with the soil matrix.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: AgResearch, Private Bag 50034, Mosgiel, New Zealand. Phone: 64 3 489 9261. Fax: 64 3 489 3739. E-mail: richard.muirhead{at}agresearch.co.nz.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, May 2006, p. 3406-3411, Vol. 72, No. 5
0099-2240/06/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.72.5.3406-3411.2006
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



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