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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, February 2005, p. 734-740, Vol. 71, No. 2
0099-2240/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.71.2.734-740.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Escherichia coli Behavior in the Presence of Organic Matter Released by Algae Exposed to Water Treatment Chemicals

C. Bouteleux,1 S. Saby,2 D. Tozza,3 J. Cavard,4 V. Lahoussine,5 P. Hartemann,1 and L. Mathieu6*

Faculté de Médecine, Département Environnement et Santé Publique, S.E.R.E.S.,1 Faculté de Médecine, Département Environnement et Santé Publique, E.P.H.E.,6 Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, VEOLIA Water, Anjou Recherche, Maisons-Laffitte,2 Compagnie Générale des Eaux,3 Agence de l'Eau Seine Normandie, Nanterre,5 Syndicat des Eaux D'Ile de France, Paris, France4

Received 23 April 2004/ Accepted 2 September 2004

When exposed to oxidation, algae release dissolved organic matter with significant carbohydrate (52%) and biodegradable (55 to 74%) fractions. This study examined whether algal organic matter (AOM) added in drinking water can compromise water biological stability by supporting bacterial survival. Escherichia coli (1.3 x 105 cells ml–1) was inoculated in sterile dechlorinated tap water supplemented with various qualities of organic substrate, such as the organic matter coming from chlorinated algae, ozonated algae, and acetate (model molecule) to add 0.2 ± 0.1 mg of biodegradable dissolved organic carbon (BDOC) liter–1. Despite equivalent levels of BDOC, E. coli behavior depended on the source of the added organic matter. The addition of AOM from chlorinated algae led to an E. coli growth equivalent to that in nonsupplemented tap water; the addition of AOM from ozonated algae allowed a 4- to 12-fold increase in E. coli proliferation compared to nonsupplemented tap water. Under our experimental conditions, 0.1 mg of algal BDOC was sufficient to support E. coli growth, whereas the 0.7 mg of BDOC liter–1 initially present in drinking water and an additional 0.2 mg of BDOC acetate liter–1 were not sufficient. Better maintenance of E. coli cultivability was also observed when AOM was added; cultivability was even increased after addition of AOM from ozonated algae. AOM, likely to be present in treatment plants during algal blooms, and thus potentially in the treated water may compromise water biological stability.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Département Environnement et Santé Publique, E.P.H.E., Faculté de Médecine, 9 ave. de la Forêt de Haye, BP184, 54505 Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France. Phone: 33-(0)3-83-68-34-86. Fax: 33-(0)3-83-68-34-89. E-mail: laurence.mathieu{at}medecine.uhp-nancy.fr.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, February 2005, p. 734-740, Vol. 71, No. 2
0099-2240/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.71.2.734-740.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.





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