Alternative bacterial indicators of sources of microbial inputs to watersheds of cdrinking water sources

摘要

Traditionally,total and fecal coliforms have been indicators of possible fecal contamination occurrence in drinkign water sources,without providing any information about the specific source of contamination.Sorbitol-fermenting Bifidobacteria have been found in the digestive tract and feces of humans,and in sewage; and have not been detected in animal feces.Rhodococcus coprophilus have been consistently isolated from the feces of farm and wild animals such as cattle,chicken,geese,horses,pigs,elephants,buffalo,giraffe,impala,waterbuck and zebra; and from samples of water soruces subject to fecal contamination form these animals,while they have been absnet from human feces and sewage of human origin.