HR: 0800h
AN: ED41A-0079    [Abstracts]
TI: An Environmental Health Assessment: Fecal Coliform Contamination in San Francisco Waterbodies
AU: DeVillier, K N
EM: sfrocks@sfsu.edu
AF: San Francisco State University, Department of Geosciences, 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94132, United States
AU: Devine, M
EM: sfrocks@sfsu.edu
AF: Abraham Lincoln High School, 2162 24th Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94116, United States
AU: Negrete, R
EM: sfrocks@sfsu.edu
AF: John O'Connell High School of Technology, 2355 Folsom Street, San Francisco, CA 94110, United States
AU: * Rawley, A L
EM: sfrocks@sfsu.edu
AF: San Francisco State University, Department of Environmental Studies, 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94132, United States
AU: Neiss, J
EM: sfrocks@sfsu.edu
AF: San Francisco State University, Department of Geosciences, 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94132, United States
AB: Fecal coliform is a group of bacteria that exists in the digestive system and excrement of warm-blooded animals. It enters aquatic environments through fecal contamination of water. In the urban environment, contamination can occur not only by direct input from warm-blooded animals but also from storm water run-off and municipal sewer overflow. Fecal coliform itself does not cause disease but it is an indicator of the presence of pathogens that exist in the wastes of humans and animals that are a hazard to human health. We examined 12 locations in San Francisco for fecal coliform and recorded the types of human contact with water at each location. We found low levels of coliform in areas open to the San Francisco Bay and Pacific Ocean and high levels of coliform in inland lakes and ponds. Using Environmental Protection Agency guidelines for fecal coliform concentrations, we found all sites at acceptable levels for the recreational and human activities we observed.
UR: http://sf-rocks.sfsu.edu
DE: 6630 Workforce
SC: Education and Human Resources [ED]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting