Impacts of Atmospheric and Anthropogenic Factors on Microbiological Pollution of the Recreational Coastal Beaches Neighboring Shipping Ports

Romina Kraus, Vanja Baljak, Darija Vukić Lušić, Lado Kranjčević, Arijana Cenov, Marin Glad, Vesna Kauzlarić, Dražen Lušić, Luka Grbčić, Marta Alvir, Marijana Pećarević and Slaven Jozić
Additional contact information
Romina Kraus: Center for Marine Research, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Giordano Paliaga 5, 52210 Rovinj, Croatia
Vanja Baljak: Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Braće Branchetta 20, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
Darija Vukić Lušić: Department of Environmental Health, Teaching Institute of Public Health of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, Krešimirova 52a, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
Lado Kranjčević: Center for Advanced Computing and Modelling, University of Rijeka, Radmile Matejčić 2, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
Arijana Cenov: Department of Environmental Health, Teaching Institute of Public Health of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, Krešimirova 52a, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
Marin Glad: Department of Environmental Health, Teaching Institute of Public Health of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, Krešimirova 52a, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
Vesna Kauzlarić: Department of Environmental Health, Institute of Public Health of Istrian County, 52100 Pula, Croatia
Dražen Lušić: Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Braće Branchetta 20, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
Luka Grbčić: Center for Advanced Computing and Modelling, University of Rijeka, Radmile Matejčić 2, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
Marta Alvir: Department of Fluid Mechanics and Computational Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Rijeka, Vukovarska 58, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
Marijana Pećarević: Department of Applied Ecology, University of Dubrovnik, Ćira Carića 4, 20000 Dubrovnik, Croatia
Slaven Jozić: Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Šetalište I. Meštrovića 63, 21000 Split, Croatia

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 14, 1-25

Abstract: A comparative study of the two northeastern ports of the Adriatic Sea indicated that the port of Rijeka is microbiologically more loaded than the port of Pula and posing a greater threat to other ports through a potential transfer of pathogens by ballast water. Fecal indicator bacteria, Escherichia coli and intestinal enterococci, were investigated seasonally in 2014–2015 in the ports and during the bathing season monitoring in the two bays where ports are located in 2009–2020. In addition, the indicators and pathogens related to human health were determined in the ports’ seawater and sediment. The determined factors contributing to microbiological pollution were higher number of tourists and locals, potential wastewater and ballast water discharge and enclosed port configuration, with high solar radiation and low precipitation reducing the negative effects. Our research points to the necessity of including Clostridium perfringens in monitoring beach sand during the bathing seasons and a wider list of pathogens in port monitoring due to a potential transfer by shipping ballast water.

Keywords: Adriatic Sea; microbial pollution; fecal bacteria; shipping ports; coastal bathing water (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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