individual
What campus are you from?
Daytona Beach
Authors' Class Standing
Leah Robinson, Senior
Lead Presenter's Name
Leah Robinson
Faculty Mentor Name
Dr. Alba Chavez
Abstract
This study evaluated bacterial contamination across fifteen freshwater sites in Central Florida to assess how land use influences microbial water quality. Samples were collected from lakes and one river and tested for coliform bacteria and Escherichia coli (E.coli) using coliform detection broth, indole dye confirmation, and plating on EMB agar for colony count. Fourteen of the fifteen sites (93%) tested positive for coliform bacteria, and thirteen (87%) tested positive for E.coli. Colony-forming unit (CFU) counts ranged from 420 to 110000 CFU/mL, with Lake Okahumpka showing the highest contamination and Lake Sumter the only site testing negative for both coliforms and E.coli. Heavily contaminated sites were generally located near residential or agricultural areas, supporting the hypothesis that human development contributes to increased bacterial load. In contrast, Lake Sumter, which lies within a managed and landscaped environment with controlled runoff, exhibited no bacterial growth. All E.coli-positive sites exceeded the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) threshold of 126 CFU/100mL for recreational water, indicating potential health risks. These results highlight the influence of land use on microbial contamination and emphasize the importance of ongoing monitoring in Florida’s freshwater systems. Future work should focus on isolating bacterial colonies from highly contaminated sites to identify specific species and evaluate their antibiotic-resistant profiles, bridging environmental microbiology with public health applications.
Did this research project receive funding support from the Office of Undergraduate Research.
No
Exploring Aquatic Microbial Frontiers: Investigating Water Quality in Central Florida Lakes
This study evaluated bacterial contamination across fifteen freshwater sites in Central Florida to assess how land use influences microbial water quality. Samples were collected from lakes and one river and tested for coliform bacteria and Escherichia coli (E.coli) using coliform detection broth, indole dye confirmation, and plating on EMB agar for colony count. Fourteen of the fifteen sites (93%) tested positive for coliform bacteria, and thirteen (87%) tested positive for E.coli. Colony-forming unit (CFU) counts ranged from 420 to 110000 CFU/mL, with Lake Okahumpka showing the highest contamination and Lake Sumter the only site testing negative for both coliforms and E.coli. Heavily contaminated sites were generally located near residential or agricultural areas, supporting the hypothesis that human development contributes to increased bacterial load. In contrast, Lake Sumter, which lies within a managed and landscaped environment with controlled runoff, exhibited no bacterial growth. All E.coli-positive sites exceeded the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) threshold of 126 CFU/100mL for recreational water, indicating potential health risks. These results highlight the influence of land use on microbial contamination and emphasize the importance of ongoing monitoring in Florida’s freshwater systems. Future work should focus on isolating bacterial colonies from highly contaminated sites to identify specific species and evaluate their antibiotic-resistant profiles, bridging environmental microbiology with public health applications.