Abundance and Distribution of Enteric Bacteria and Viruses in Coastal and Estuarine Sediments-a Review.

The long term survival of fecal indicator organisms (FIOs) and human pathogenic microorganisms in sediments is important from a water quality, human health and ecological perspective. Typically, both bacteria and viruses strongly associate with particulate matter present in freshwater, estuarine and marine environments. This association tends to be stronger in finer textured sediments and is strongly influenced by the type and quantity of clay minerals and organic matter present.

A study of the potential release of bioaerosols from containers as a result of reduced frequency residual waste collections.

Microorganisms have the potential to grow within waste containers if waste is stored for longer periods as a result of an extended residual waste collection cycle. Release of microorganisms as bioaerosols during waste collection and processing may be an occupational risk to workers within the industry. There may be many constituents of the bioaerosol that may be of concern, however, there are currently only workplace exposure limits proposed for endotoxin (90EUm).

Changes in the physicochemical properties and enzymatic activity of waste during bioreduction of pig carcasses.

Bioreduction is a novel method for the on-farm storage of fallen stock in a vessel containing water that is heated and aerated, prior to disposal. The combination of a mesophilic temperature and high bacterial population leads to rapid degradation of carcasses due to microbial and enzymatic breakdown of protein material; and ultimately the reduction in volume of waste to be disposed. The system could, however, be improved if more was known about the changes that occur during a bioreduction cycle.

Bioreduction of sheep carcasses effectively contains and reduces pathogen levels under operational and simulated breakdown conditions.

Options for the storage and disposal of animal carcasses are extremely limited in the EU after the introduction of the EU Animal By-products Regulations (ABPR; EC/1774/2002), leading to animosity within the livestock sector and the call for alternative methods to be validated. Novel storage technologies such as bioreduction may be approved under the ABPR provided that they can be shown to prevent pathogen proliferation. We studied the survival of Enterococcus faecalis, Salmonella spp.

Fate of pathogens in a simulated bioreduction system for livestock carcasses.

The EU Animal By-Products Regulations generated the need for novel methods of storage and disposal of dead livestock. Bioreduction prior to rendering or incineration has been proposed as a practical and potentially cost-effective method; however, its biosecurity characteristics need to be elucidated. To address this, Salmonella enterica (serovars Senftenberg and Poona), Enterococcus faecalis, Campylobacter jejuni, Campylobacter coli and a lux-marked strain of Escherichia coli O157 were inoculated into laboratory-scale bioreduction vessels containing sheep carcass constituents.

The environmental and biosecurity characteristics of livestock carcass disposal methods: A review.

Livestock mortalities represent a major waste stream within agriculture. Many different methods are used throughout the world to dispose of these mortalities; however within the European Union (EU) disposal options are limited by stringent legislation. The legal disposal options currently available to EU farmers (primarily rendering and incineration) are frequently negatively perceived on both practical and economic grounds.