Widespread detection of human- and ruminant-origin Bacteroidales markers in subtidal waters of the Salish Sea in Washington State

What is it about?

Bacteroidales markers are used to identify the source of fecal contamination, usually close to the origin such as a stream or sewer. We unexpectedly found markers of fecal contamination from humans and ruminants (such as cattle) in deeper waters, away from the shoreline. The marker patterns suggest that fecal contamination is driven by seasonal rainfall and concentrations of source, such as cities for human fecal contamination. These results show that Bacteroidales markers can be indicators for regional contamination.

Featured Image