First Precise Measurement of Faecal Discharge from Waterway Vessels
SMART ANALYSIS REVOLUTIONIZES DETECTION OF FAECAL DISCHARGES FROM DANUBE SHIPPING.
New methodology from Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences highlights the potential environmental impact of inland waterway vessels in case of incorrect wastewater disposal, offering unmatched sensitivity and spatial resolution for optimal monitoring.
Krem (Austria), November 28, 2024 – Researchers at Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences (KL Krems) and ICC Water & Health have achieved a global breakthrough: A new, integrative methodology now enables precise detection of small-scale faecal discharges from inland waterway vessels in flowing waters. This pioneering approach, applied for the first time on a section of the Danube, revealed both the potential for significant pollution from improper wastewater disposal and evidence of proper disposal practices during the study period. The methodology, which has garnered widespread attention among experts, has been published internationally, paving the way for its application in monitoring navigable waters worldwide.
Concerns over faecal pollution from river cruise ships, liner vessels, and cargo ships have sparked heated debate in recent years. To address these concerns, a team led by Prof. Andreas Farnleitner (KL Krems and TU Vienna), with support from the State of Lower Austria, set out to quantify the pollution potential from inland navigation and develop a cutting-edge methodology to precisely assess its extent. The result is a globally unique approach for estimating and detecting wastewater discharges from inland vessels, which has already been successfully tested on a 230 km stretch of the Danube, covering both the Wachau region and Vienna.
BRIDGING EXPERTISE FOR A CLEANER FUTURE
The Department of Water Quality and Health at KL Krems, under the leadership of Prof. Farnleitner, is a national hub for water quality analysis and its implications for public health. As a partner of the renowned ICC Water & Health* and collaborator with the Lower Austrian Provincial Government’s Water Management Department, the KL-department combines tradition with innovation in its research.
“Our newly developed methodology,” explains Prof. Alexander Kirschner, deputy head of the department and co-author of the study, “integrates theoretical pollution potential modeling, precise field detection techniques, and advanced statistical analysis. This three-step process provides a robust framework for monitoring and management.”
A THREE-STEP METHODOLOGY
The first step calculates the potential input of faecal indicator bacteria (e.g., E. coli) from different sources within a specific river section (Pollution Source Profiling). These calculations differentiate between municipal sewage treatment plants and inland waterway vessels, incorporating population data, tourism figures, and crew numbers. Treatment performance data for existing wastewater facilities is also included. “We modeled two scenarios,” explains Prof. Farnleitner. “One assumes proper wastewater management on vessels, while the other models maximum pollution from untreated discharges.”
The second step involves extensive water sampling using both traditional cultivation methods and cutting-edge molecular genetic techniques, many of which were developed by Prof. Farnleitner’s team. Additional chemical and physical water parameters were also measured.The final step uses complex statistical models, integrating satellite data (via the Automated Identification System, AIS) on ship movements to analyze the collected data.
RESULTS AND IMPLICATIONS
“The comparison of modeled scenarios with measured values,” says Sophia Steinbacher, lead author of the study, “allowed us to accurately assess microbiological faecal contamination from inland vessels with unprecedented spatial and temporal precision. During the study period from March 2019 to March 2020, no improper discharges were detected, suggesting compliance with disposal regulations.”
This finding is particularly significant given the high pollution potential calculated for scenarios involving improper disposal, underscoring the need for regular water quality monitoring.
BROADER IMPACTS
The study builds on previous research by the team, which has demonstrated the effectiveness of modern wastewater management in reducing contamination along the Danube. Comprehensive analyses, including the Joint Danube Survey, have shown significant improvements in faecal pollution levels in the river’s upper reaches, particularly in EU-member states. However, contamination levels remain higher in the middle and lower reaches, which traverse non-EU countries.
This groundbreaking methodology marks a major step forward in protecting water quality and public health, offering a reliable tool for monitoring navigable waters globally.
Original Publications:
Assessing the impact of inland navigation on the faecal pollution status of large rivers: A novel integrated field approach. S. D. Steinbacher, A. Ameen, K. Demeter, D. Lun, J. Derx, G. Lindner, R. Sommer. R. B. Linke, C. Kolm, K. Zuser, M. Heckel, A. Perschl, G. Blöschl, A. P. Blaschke, A. K. T. Kirschner, A. H. Farnleitner, Water Research 261 (2024).
Long‑term impact of basin‑wide wastewater management on faecal pollution levels along the entire Danube River. A. K. T. Kirschner, I. Schachner‑Groehs, G. Kavka, E. Hoedl, A. Kovacs, A. H. Farnleitner. Environmental Science and Pollution Research (2024) 31:45697–45710.
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Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences (11/2024) The Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences (KL Krems) is an educational and research institution on the Campus Krems and recognised throughout Europe. KL Krems offers modern, demand-oriented education and continuing education in medicine and psychology as well as a PhD programme in Mental Health and Neuroscience. The flexible educational programme is tailored to the needs of students, the requirements of the labour market and the challenges of science. The three university hospitals in Krems, St. Pölten and Tulln and the MedAustron Ion Therapy and Research Centre in Wiener Neustadt guarantee clinical teaching and research of the highest quality. In its research, KL Krems focuses on interdisciplinary fields with high relevance to health policy - including biomechanics, molecular oncology, mental health and neuroscience as well as the topic of water quality and the associated health aspects. KL Krems was founded in 2013 and accredited by the Austrian Agency for Quality Assurance and Accreditation (AQ Austria).
*The ICC Water & Health is a cooperation between TU Wien, Medical University of Vienna and Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences. The Inter-University Cooperation Center for Water and Health (ICC Water & Health) sees itself as a scientific platform and competent partner in questions of water quality and its impact on human health. The ICC is dedicated to the development of innovative concepts for assessing water quality, new microbiological and molecular biology methods, efficacy testing of physical and chemical treatment methods, and numerical models for estimating the risk of infection and disease in water use. The lessons learned will be used to derive effective and sustainable health management measures. The ICC was founded by the Vienna University of Technology and the Medical University of Vienna in 2010 and has been sustainably established thanks to the competitive research funding of the Federal Ministry of Science, Research and Economy (BMWFW). In 2017, ICC Water & Health was expanded to include the Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences (KL). KL is now an official part of the research platform.
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