Microbial Composition Dynamics in Peloids Used for Spa Procedures in Lithuania: Pilot Study

Marija Kataržytė (), Lolita Rapolienė, Greta Kalvaitienė and Rafael Picazo-Espinosa
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Marija Kataržytė: Marine Research Institute, Klaipėda University, University Avenue 17, 92295 Klaipėda, Lithuania
Lolita Rapolienė: Faculty of Health Sciences, Klaipeda University, H. Manto Str. 84, 92294 Klaipėda, Lithuania
Greta Kalvaitienė: Marine Research Institute, Klaipėda University, University Avenue 17, 92295 Klaipėda, Lithuania
Rafael Picazo-Espinosa: Marine Research Institute, Klaipėda University, University Avenue 17, 92295 Klaipėda, Lithuania

IJERPH, 2024, vol. 21, issue 3, 1-18

Abstract: Despite peloids’ acknowledged therapeutic and cosmetic potential, there remains a limited understanding of their microbial diversity and dynamics, especially concerning beneficial and non-beneficial microorganisms under different heating conditions. Our study employs both cultivation and metagenomic methods to assess the microbiota of peloids, focusing on lake sapropel and peat under heating conditions recommended for external application and safety assurance. By applying microbial indicators specified in national regulatory documents, we found that all peloids reached thresholds for sulphite-reducing clostridia and colony-forming units. Each peloid exhibited a distinctive bacterial composition based on metagenomic analysis, and temperature-induced changes were observed in microbial diversity. We identified beneficial bacteria potentially contributing to the therapeutic properties of peloids. However, the same peloids indicated the presence of bacteria of human faecal origin, with a notably higher abundance of Escherichia coli , pointing to a potential source of contamination. Unfortunately, it remains unclear at which stage this contamination entered the peloids. The findings underscore the importance of monitoring and controlling microbial aspects in peloid applications, emphasising the need for measures to prevent and address contamination during their preparation and application processes.

Keywords: sapropel; long-read sequencing; Escherichia coli; clostridia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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