Globally unique approach to assess wastewater impact from Danube navigation
A current research project by the Inter-University Cooperation Centre Water and Health of MedUni Vienna, TU Vienna and Karl Landsteiner University Krems was the first in the world to provide precise evidence of small-scale wastewater and faecal discharges into watercourses caused by inland navigation. A new integrative method was developed for this purpose. The first practical application on a 230-kilometre stretch of the Danube demonstrated the high potential impact of inland navigation in the event of improper wastewater disposal, but also indicated that proper disposal took place during the period under investigation. The methodology, which has received much attention from experts, has now been published internationally in the top journal Water Research. This allows it to be used in other navigable waters around the world.
In recent years, highly emotional accusations have repeatedly emerged that river cruise, liner and cargo ships could lead to localised and heavy faecal discharge into the Danube. A team led by Alexander Kirschner (MedUni Vienna and KL Krems) and Andreas Farnleitner (KL Krems and TU Vienna) therefore set about scientifically calculating the potential input from this source and at the same time developing a method to determine the true extent precisely and with high spatial resolution.
Three-stage process
The ICC Water & Health, consisting of research groups from our institute at MedUni Vienna (Alexander Kirschner & Regina Sommer), from TU Wien and Karl Landsteiner University Krems, brings together the scientific expertise in health-related water quality analysis in Austria. In this study, ICC Water & Heath worked closely with the Water Management Department of the Lower Austrian Provincial Government. The newly developed method is based on a three-stage process that integrates theoretical predictions of pollution potential, precise field detection methods and complex statistical calculations. In a first step, the method involved calculating the possible inputs of faecal indicator bacteria (E. coli) within a specific river section (known as ‘pollution source profiling’). The theoretically possible inputs from municipal sewage treatment plants and from inland navigation were calculated separately. These calculations are based on known orders of magnitude for the number of relevant faecal indicator bacteria that people excrete per day (determined from population, tourist, passenger and crew figures). Data on the treatment performance of existing plants is also included in the calculations. The surprising result was that the faecal pollution potential of inland navigation is as high as the input from wastewater treatment plants, if the ship wastewater is not treated appropriately.
Satellite data is also included
The second step of the new method involved extensive field measurements to record the actual contamination with faecal indicator bacteria. The team used both the traditional standardised cultivation method and state-of-the-art molecular genetic methods to trace the origin of faecal pollution. In addition, numerous chemical and physical values of the respective water samples were determined. A complex statistical analysis then formed the final step of the new method. This analysis incorporated millions of satellite data files on ship movements (Automated Identification System, AIS) in the analysed river section. With this statistical analysis it turned out that precipitation and wastewater discharge from sewage treatment plants were the main factors responsible for the observed pollution patterns in the investigated Danube River section. However, at a specific site (downstream of a shipping pear at Krems), the impact of ship wastewater led to elevated levels of faecal pollution. A rigorous surveillance of appropriate wastewater disposal of Danube River navigation is thus recommended.
Reference
Steinbacher SD, Ameen A, Demeter K, Lun D, Derx J, Lindner G, Sommer R, Linke RB, Kolm C, Zuser K, Heckel M, Perschl A, Blöschl G, Blaschke AP, Kirschner AKT*, Farnleitner AH* (2024) Assessing the impact of inland navigation on the faecal pollution status of large rivers: A novel integrated field approach. Water Research 261: 122029; doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2024.122029, *corresponding authors
Water resources and drinking water production
Vienna Water Resource Systems 2020+ (VIWa2020+)
Sponsor: Wiener Wasser
PI: Alexander Kirschner
Partner: TU Wien, KL Krems
Runtime: Nov 2020 – Okt 2028
Microbiological and physoco-chemical real-time paramemters for quality control in mobile drinking water processing (SEWAT)
Sponsor: FFG
PI: Alexander Kirschner, Lena Campostrini
Partner: Austrian Military – ABC Defence, Austrian Red Cross, German Military - WIS, TU Wien, KL Krems, S:can, Vienna Water Monitoring Systems, bNovate
Runtime: Nov 2020 – Okt 2028
Fecal load and antibiotics resistance
Fecal processing pathways of antibiotic-resisteances in the river Danube
Sponsor: FWF
PI: Alexander Kirschner (MUW)
Partner: MedUni Graz, KL Krems, IFA Tulln, Uni Belgrad
Runtime: 6/2019 – 6/2024
RIVAR-A quantitative concept for the investigation of human-associated antibiotic resistances in rivers along the human wastewater path
Sponsor: GFF
PI: Alexander Kirschner (MUW, KL)
Partner: KL Krems, MedUni Graz, IFA Tulln
Runtime: 3/2020 – 8/2024
Harmonization of the microbiological methods for the assessment of the Danube River water quality
Sponsor: ÖAD
PI: Alexander Kirschner (MUW)
Partner: TU Wien, MedUniGraz, Univ. Belgrad
Runtime: 9/2018 – 7/2019
Joint Danube Survey 2019 – Basic Microbiological Program
Sponsor: BMNT, ICPDR
PI: Alexander Kirschner
Partner: KL Krems, TU Wien, MedUniGraz, Univ. Belgrad, u.a.
Runtime: 6/2019 – 6/2020
FECAL-FISH – A cell based approach to detect abundant fecal associated bacteria in water
PI: Alexander Kirschner
Partner: KL Krems, TU Wien,
Runtime: 1/2018 – 7/2019
Vibrio cholerae in bath waters
An innovative strategy for the quantification and prediction of toxigenic and non-toxigenic Vibrio cholerae in environmental water resources
Sponsor: NFB (Life Science Call 2017)
PI: Alexander Kirschner
Partner: TU Wien, IFA Tulln, WC Lunz, Amt der NÖ Landesregierung-Umwelthygiene, Univ. Carleton, Canada
Runtime: 1/2019 – 03/2023
Optimization of CARD-FISH for detection of Vibrio cholerae in water
PI: Alexander Kirschner
Partner: TU Wien
Runtime: 10/2018 – 12/2019
Biostability and Flow Cytometry
MultiSense Aqua – Automated Online Flow Cytometry for Real-time Monitoring of Bacteria and Particles in Drinking Water
Sponsor: Eurostars – Horizon 2020/FFG
PI: Alexander Kirschner
Partner: TU Wien, bNovate (Switzerland), Sigrist (Switzerland), MA 31 – Wiener Wasser
Runtime: 5/2019 – 10/2022
AQUASAFE – Establishing water safety monitoring for tomorrow – new technologies for the detection and tracking of faecal contamination
Sponsor: NFB (Life Science Call 2016)
PI: Andreas Farnleitner (KL Krems)
Partner: TU Wien, EVN
Runtime: 9/2017 – 8/2019
AQUASCREEN – Development of a trendsetting water examination procedure for the drinking water supply of tomorrow
Sponsor: FTI Programm NÖ, Fördercall 2017: Ernährung, Medizin und Gesundheit
PI: Andreas Farnleitner (KL Krems)
Partner: TU Wien, EVN
Runtime: 9/2018 – 8/2020
Protozoan Mimics – Validating and Upscaling a new Cryptosporidium Surrogate for Groundwater Transport Studies
Sponsor: FWF-Herta Firnberg-Projekt
PI: Margaret Stevenson (TU Wien)
Runtime: 5/2018 – 4/2020
Selection and Characterization of DNA Aptamers for Health-relevant Bacteria in Water
Sponsor: ÖAW-Doc-Stipendium
PI: Claudia Kolm (TU Wien/IFA Tulln)
Runtime: 10/2017 – 9/2020
The impact of Giardia spp. as a reference pathogen in urban water systems
Sponsor: WWTF-Projekt ESR17-070
PI: Silvia Cervero-Aragó
Runtime: 2018 – 9/2021