https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/o:3241 Probabilistic fecal pollution source profiling and microbial source tracking for an urban river catchment Derx, Julia Julia Derx Vienna University of Technology Farnleitner, Andreas H. Andreas H. Farnleitner Vienna University of Technology / Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences Blaschke, Alfred P. Alfred P. Blaschke Vienna University of Technology Zessner, Matthias Matthias Zessner Vienna University of Technology Saracevic, Ernis Ernis Saracevic Vienna University of Technology Sommer, Regina Regina Sommer Medical University of Vienna Stalder, Gabrielle Gabrielle Stalder 0000-0002-8901-1181 University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Walochnik, Julia Julia Walochnik Medical University of Vienna Lindner, Gerhard Gerhard Lindner Vienna University of Technology Kirschner, Alexander K. T. Alexander K. T. Kirschner Medical University of Vienna / Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences Schijven, Jack Jack Schijven Utrecht University Frick, Christina Christina Frick Vienna City Administration Cervero-Aragó, Sílvia Sílvia Cervero-Aragó Medical University of Vienna Kılıç, H. Seda H. Seda Kılıç Vienna University of Technology Linke, Rita Rita Linke Vienna University of Technology Elsevier text eng We developed an innovative approach to estimate the occurrence and extent of fecal pollution sources for urban river catchments. The methodology consists of 1) catchment surveys complemented by literature data where needed for probabilistic estimates of daily produced fecal indicator (FIBs, E. coli, enterococci) and zoonotic reference pathogen numbers (Campylobacter, Cryptosporidium and Giardia) excreted by human and animal sources in a river catchment, 2) generating a hypothesis about the dominant sources of fecal pollution and selecting a source targeted monitoring design, and 3) verifying the results by comparing measured concentrations of the informed choice of parameters (i.e. chemical tracers, C. perfringensspores, and host-associated genetic microbial source tracking (MST) markers) in the river, and by multi-parametric correlation analysis. We tested the approach at a study area in Vienna, Austria. The daily produced microbial particle numbers according to the probabilistic estimates indicated that, for the dry weather scenario, the discharge of treated wastewater (WWTP) was the primary contributor to fecal pollution. For the wet weather scenario, 80-99 % of the daily produced FIBs and pathogens resulted from combined sewer overflows (CSOs) according to the probabilistic estimates. When testing our hypothesis in the river, the measured concentrations of the human genetic fecal marker were log10 4 higher than for selected animal genetic fecal markers. Our analyses showed for the first-time statistical relationships between C. perfringens spores (used as conservative microbial tracer for communal sewage) and a human genetic fecal marker (i.e. HF183/BacR287) with the reference pathogen Giardia in river water (Spearman rank correlation: 0.78-0.83, p < 0.05. The developed approach facilitates urban water safety management and provides a robust basis for microbial fate and transport models and microbial infection risk assessment. Animals; Humans; Rivers; Water Pollution Analysis; Water Microbiology; Cryptosporidiosis; Escherichia coli; Environmental Monitoring Methods; Cryptosporidium; Feceschemistry; Giardia; Water Analysis http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/api/object/o:3241/download 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159533 https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/o:605 application/pdf Science of the Total Environment 857(2) (2022) Science of the Total Environment 857 2 1.41 MB 2022