Concentrations and antibiotic resistance of faecal indicator organisms and human pathogens associated with sewage waste on Scottish beaches, 2021
https://doi.org/10.5285/9d0a6437-f01e-4cf3-9f83-86d2f4ead869
Cite this dataset as:
Metcalf, R.; White, H.L.; Moresco, V.; Ormsby, M.J.; Oliver, D.O.; Quilliam, R. (2024). Concentrations and antibiotic resistance of faecal indicator organisms and human pathogens associated with sewage waste on Scottish beaches, 2021. NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/9d0a6437-f01e-4cf3-9f83-86d2f4ead869
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This dataset is available under the terms of the Open Government Licence 
The data includes concentrations of faecal indicator organisms isolated from the plastic waste and natural substrates found on Scottish beaches, as well as the antibiotic resistance of selected strains of these organisms.
Sewage-associated plastic waste, and naturally occurring substrates (seaweed and sand), were collected in 2021 from ten beaches along the Firth of Forth estuary (Scotland, UK). The concentrations of faecal indicator organisms (FIOs), E. coli and intestinal enterococci (IE), and potential human pathogens (Vibrio spp.) on the plastic waste and natural substrates were analysed using selective media. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) analysis was used to determine antibiotic resistance in selected strains.
Sewage-associated plastic waste, and naturally occurring substrates (seaweed and sand), were collected in 2021 from ten beaches along the Firth of Forth estuary (Scotland, UK). The concentrations of faecal indicator organisms (FIOs), E. coli and intestinal enterococci (IE), and potential human pathogens (Vibrio spp.) on the plastic waste and natural substrates were analysed using selective media. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) analysis was used to determine antibiotic resistance in selected strains.
Publication date: 2024-08-09
View numbers valid from 09 August 2024 Download numbers valid from 09 August 2024 (information prior to this was not collected)
Format
Comma-separated values (CSV)
Spatial information
Study area
Spatial representation type
Tabular (text)
Spatial reference system
OSGB 1936 / British National Grid
Temporal information
Temporal extent
2021-12-01 to 2021-12-31
Provenance & quality
Sewage-associated plastic waste (wipes, cotton bud sticks and sanitary products) was collected from ten beaches. All samples were stored at 4 °C and processed within 48 h.
Replicate composite samples of wipes, cotton bud sticks and seaweed from each site were pre-enriched in non-selective media Luria-Bertani (LB) broth or Vibrio selective Bile Peptone broth at 37 °C in a shaking incubator for 18 h. Following pre-enrichment, serial dilutions were carried out in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) and dilutions were plated onto selective media. All plates were inverted and incubated. The presence or absence of target bacteria on all sewage-associated plastic waste samples was determined by enumerating colony forming units (CFUs).
Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC): Representative individual colonies of E. coli, IE and Vibrio spp. isolated from seaweed, wet wipe, and cotton bud stick samples, were picked off agar plates, grown further overnight in LB broth, and subjected to MIC analysis to determine antibiotic resistance to amoxicillin, ampicillin, streptomycin, cephalexin, and tetracycline at varying concentrations. Two-fold serial dilutions of each antibiotic were made in LB broth in 96-well plates. Bacterial cultures were adjusted to an optical density at a wavelength of 600nm (OD600nm) of 0.1, and 10 μL added to each well of a 96-well plate. Samples were incubated overnight at 37 °C.
Replicate composite samples of wipes, cotton bud sticks and seaweed from each site were pre-enriched in non-selective media Luria-Bertani (LB) broth or Vibrio selective Bile Peptone broth at 37 °C in a shaking incubator for 18 h. Following pre-enrichment, serial dilutions were carried out in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) and dilutions were plated onto selective media. All plates were inverted and incubated. The presence or absence of target bacteria on all sewage-associated plastic waste samples was determined by enumerating colony forming units (CFUs).
Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC): Representative individual colonies of E. coli, IE and Vibrio spp. isolated from seaweed, wet wipe, and cotton bud stick samples, were picked off agar plates, grown further overnight in LB broth, and subjected to MIC analysis to determine antibiotic resistance to amoxicillin, ampicillin, streptomycin, cephalexin, and tetracycline at varying concentrations. Two-fold serial dilutions of each antibiotic were made in LB broth in 96-well plates. Bacterial cultures were adjusted to an optical density at a wavelength of 600nm (OD600nm) of 0.1, and 10 μL added to each well of a 96-well plate. Samples were incubated overnight at 37 °C.
Licensing and constraints
This dataset is available under the terms of the Open Government Licence
Cite this dataset as:
Metcalf, R.; White, H.L.; Moresco, V.; Ormsby, M.J.; Oliver, D.O.; Quilliam, R. (2024). Concentrations and antibiotic resistance of faecal indicator organisms and human pathogens associated with sewage waste on Scottish beaches, 2021. NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/9d0a6437-f01e-4cf3-9f83-86d2f4ead869
Related
This dataset is included in the following collections
Correspondence/contact details
Authors
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1463-427X
White, H.L.
University of Stirling
Moresco, V.
University of California Riverside
Ormsby, M.J.
University of Stirling
Oliver, D.O.
University of Stirling
Other contacts
Rights holder
University of Stirling
Custodian
NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre
info@eidc.ac.uk
Publisher
NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre
info@eidc.ac.uk