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A fecal coliform (British: faecal coliform) is a facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped, gram-negative, non-sporulating bacterium. Coliform bacteria generally originate in the intestines of warm-blooded animals.
Coliform bacteria are defined as either motile or non-motile Gram-negative non-spore forming bacilli that possess β-galactosidase to produce acids and gases under their optimal growth temperature of 35–37 °C. [1]
Fecal coliforms are more useful as indicators in recreational waters than total coliforms which include species that are naturally found in plants and soil; however, there are even some species of fecal coliforms that do not have a fecal origin, such as Klebsiella pneumoniae. Perhaps the biggest drawback to using coliforms as indicators is that ...
As the summer season gets underway, a new report finds that many coastal U.S. waterways, including popular beaches for swimming, are contaminated with unsafe levels of fecal bacteria.
The state Department of Environmental Conservation says fecal coliform levels that high indicate an illicit discharge of bacteria pollution. Three years later, Mount Vernon still hasn't determined ...
The coliform index is a rating of the purity of water based on a count of fecal bacteria. It is one of many tests done to assure sufficient water quality . Coliform bacteria are microorganisms that primarily originate in the intestines of warm-blooded animals.
Indicator bacteria themselves may not be pathogenic but their presence in waste may indicate the presence of other pathogens. [1] Similar to how there are various types of indicator organisms, there are also various types of indicator bacteria. The most common indicators are total coliforms, fecal coliforms, E. coli, and enterococci. [2]
In 2004, measurement of enterococci took the place of fecal coliforms as the new American federal standard for water quality at public saltwater beaches and alongside Escherichia coli at freshwater beaches. [23] It is believed to provide a higher correlation than fecal coliform with many of the human pathogens often found in city sewage. [24]