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Pyrosequencing Analysis of the Bacterial Community in Drinking Water Wells

  • Microbiology of Aquatic Systems
  • Published:
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Abstract

Wells used for drinking water often have a large biomass and a high bacterial diversity. Current technologies are not always able to reduce the bacterial population, and the threat of pathogen proliferation in drinking water sources is omnipresent. The environmental conditions that shape the microbial communities in drinking water sources have to be elucidated, so that pathogen proliferation can be foreseen. In this work, the bacterial community in nine water wells of a groundwater aquifer in Northern Mexico were characterized and correlated to environmental characteristics that might control them. Although a large variation was observed between the water samples, temperature and iron concentration were the characteristics that affected the bacterial community structure and composition in groundwater wells. Small increases in the concentration of iron in water modified the bacterial communities and promoted the growth of the iron-oxidizing bacteria Acidovorax. The abundance of the genera Flavobacterium and Duganella was correlated positively with temperature and the Acidobacteria Gp4 and Gp1, and the genus Acidovorax with iron concentrations in the well water. Large percentages of Flavobacterium and Pseudomonas bacteria were found, and this is of special concern as bacteria belonging to both genera are often biofilm developers, where pathogens survival increases.

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Acknowledgments

The research was funded by Cinvestav (Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico) and ‘Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología’ (CONACyT) ‘Fondos Mixtos Conacyt-Gobierno del Estado de Coahuila’ Project COAH-2010-C14-149610. Y.E.N.-N. received a postdoctoral grant from ABACUS and CONACyT.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Soil Ecology, ABACUS, Cinvestav, Av. I.P.N. 2508, C.P. 07360, México, Federal District, México

    Yendi E. Navarro-Noya, Mayra C. Suárez-Arriaga, Aketzally Rojas-Valdes, Nina M. Montoya-Ciriaco, Selene Gómez-Acata & Luc Dendooven

  2. Natural Resources and Energy Group, Cinvestav-Saltillo, Av. Industria Metalúrgica 1062, Parque Industrial Ramos Arizpe, Ramos Arizpe, C.P. 25900, Coahuila, México

    Fabián Fernández-Luqueño

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  1. Yendi E. Navarro-Noya
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Correspondence to Yendi E. Navarro-Noya.

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Navarro-Noya, Y.E., Suárez-Arriaga, M.C., Rojas-Valdes, A. et al. Pyrosequencing Analysis of the Bacterial Community in Drinking Water Wells. Microb Ecol 66, 19–29 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-013-0222-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-013-0222-3

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