Effects of temperature and light exposure on the decay characteristics of fecal indicators, norovirus, and Legionella in mesocosms simulating subarctic river water

Highlights •Coliphages decayed 22–27 times, and E. coli 4.8 times slower in 4 °C than 22 °C. •E. coli, enterococci, and som. coliphages were more sensitive to light than temperature. •Bacterial DNA/RNA, and Legionella were more sensitive to temperature than light. •Norovirus GII and F-specific coliphages were also more sensitive to temperature. •Indication power of fecal indicators can vary between seasons of the year. Abstract Knowledge of the decay characteristics of health-related microbes in surface waters is important for modeling the transportation of waterborne pathogens and for assessing their public health risks. Although water temperature and light exposure are major factors determining the decay characteristics of enteric microbes in surface waters, such effects have not been well studied in subarctic surface waters. This study comprehensively evaluated the effect of temperature and light on the decay characteristics of health-related microbes [Escherichia coli, enterococci, microbial source tracking markers (GenBac3 & HF183 assays), coliphages (F-specific and somatic), noroviruses GII and Legionella spp.] under simulated subarctic river water conditions. The experiments were conducted in four different laboratory settings (4 °C/dark, 15 °C/dark, 15 °C/light, and 22 °C/light). The T90 values (time required for a 90 % reduction in the population of a target) of all targets were higher under cold and dark (2.6–51.3 days depending upon targets) than under warm and light conditions (0.6–3.5 days). Under 4 °C/dark (simulated winter) water conditions, F-specific coliphages had 27.2 times higher, and coliform bacteria had 3.3 times higher T90 value than under 22 °C/light (simulated summer) water conditions. Bacterial molecular markers also displayed high variation in T90 values, with the greatest difference between 4 °C/dark and 22 °C/light recorded for HF183 DNA (20.6 times) and the lowest difference for EC23S857 RNA (6.6 times). E. coli, intestinal enterococci, and somatic coliphages were relatively more sensitive to light than water temperature, but F-specific coliphages, norovirus, and all bacterial rDNA and rRNA markers were relatively more sensitive to temperature than light exposure. Due to the slow microbial decay in winter under subarctic conditions, the microbial quality of river water might remain low for a long time after a sewage spill. This increased risk associated with fecal pollution during winter may deserve more attention, especially when river waters are used for drinking water production.