Article

Persistence of ‘wet wipes’ in beach sand: An unrecognised reservoir for localised E. coli contamination

Details

Citation

Metcalf R, Fellows R, White HL & Quilliam RS (2024) Persistence of ‘wet wipes’ in beach sand: An unrecognised reservoir for localised E. coli contamination. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 201, Art. No.: 116175. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116175

Abstract
The flushing of wet wipes down toilets leads to blockages of sewerage systems. This, together with unregulated sewage discharge, often results in increasing numbers of wet wipes washing up onto beaches. However, it is unclear how long wet wipes can persist on the beach and whether they pose a prolonged public health risk if contaminated by E. coli. In this mesocosm study, three types of wet wipes (plastic containing, and home and commercially compostable) colonised with E. coli were buried in beach sand and their degradation, tensile strength, and concentration of E. coli was quantified over 15 weeks. Wet wipes containing plastic remained largely intact for 15 weeks, whilst both compostable wet wipes fragmented and degraded. Importantly, E. coli persisted on all three wet wipe types, representing localised reservoirs of E. coli in the sand, which could present a human health risk at the beach.

Keywords
Public health; Environmental pathogens; Sewage discharge; Plastic pollution; Sand microbiology

Journal
Marine Pollution Bulletin: Volume 201

StatusPublished
FundersNERC Natural Environment Research Council and NERC Natural Environment Research Council
Publication date30/04/2024
Publication date online29/02/2024
Date accepted by journal16/02/2024
URLhttp://hdl.handle.net/1893/35890
PublisherElsevier BV
ISSN0025-326X
eISSN1879-3363

People (2)

Miss Rosie Fellows

Miss Rosie Fellows

Research Assistant, Biological and Environmental Sciences

Professor Richard Quilliam

Professor Richard Quilliam

Professor, Biological and Environmental Sciences

Projects (1)