Clostridium perfringens as a potential indicator for the presence of sewage solids in marine sediments

Marine sediment cores collected from several depths of mater and distances from a California sewage outfall were tested to see if sediments influenced by sewage solids were a reservoir of enteric pathogens, and if concentrati ons of indicator bacteria were related to the presence of sewage solids. Ve rtical distributions of microorganisms in marine sediments were determined; there was a decrease of indicator bacteria with increasing sediment depth. Aeromonas was randomly isolated, but none of the enteric bacterial pathoge ns or viruses were detected. While classic indicator bacteria were of littl e value in predicting the presence of pathogens, or relative amounts of sew age solids, Clostridium perfringens may be a suitable indicator. Clostridiu m perfringens concentrations were not related to the presence of pathogens in sediments. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.