SGER: Microbial and HAB Reconnaissance Measurements in Lake Pontchartrain and Vicinity in Response to the Hurricane Katrina Disaster

本项目是由探索性研究小额赠款（SGER）资助的几项协调的海洋环境研究之一，用于对卡特里娜飓风造成的新奥尔良洪水这一自然灾害作出快速反应。 迈阿密大学NSF-NIEHS海洋与人类健康中心（COHH）的科学家们的这项努力是与巴吞鲁日的路易斯安那州立大学、夏威夷大学NSF-NIEHS海洋与人类健康中心和伍兹霍尔海洋研究所进行的一项更大规模合作研究的一部分。卡特里娜飓风在墨西哥湾沿岸地区登陆后不久，新奥尔良地区大范围的洪水导致污水溢出和洪水污染。 此后不久，这些洪水未经处理就被不断抽入庞恰特雷恩湖，导致污染物扩散到湖中，最终排入墨西哥湾。 多机构研究小组将合作调查庞恰特雷恩湖及其附近的沃茨受到化学污染物、病原微生物和有害藻华（HAB）生物污染的程度。 该研究将记录生物和非生物污染物沿着HAB生物的水平和传播，这些信息将对随后的建模工作非常有用。在该奖项下的SGER资助下，迈阿密大学的研究人员将专门专注于收集样本，从水样中提取微生物RNA和DNA，以及病毒病原体（肠道病毒和诺如病毒）和原生动物病原体（隐孢子虫和贾第虫）的样品分析。 此外，还将收集样本，用于分析有害藻华生物及其毒素，这是国家科学基金会、国家环境卫生和健康研究所资助的迈阿密大学海洋与人类健康“有毒有害藻华”研究项目的一部分。 路易斯安那州立大学和夏威夷大学的免费提案中确定的计划取样方案将通过迈阿密大学CSTARS中心和路易斯安那州立大学（路易斯安那州立大学）提供的遥感技术得到加强。这部分研究将提供有关病毒、原生动物和有害藻华生物分布的数据。 沿着LSU和UH的资助，这些分布可以与指示微生物的分布进行比较，以评估“指示物”是否是已知公共卫生问题微生物的真正指示物。 这一点很重要，因为在不受污水影响的温暖潮湿气候中没有观察到相关性。 在这种情况下，该地点受到污水的高度影响，如果事实上指标和病原微生物之间存在强烈的相关性，则记录下来是很重要的。 这项研究所收集的样本，会用作记录广泛污染所引致的有害藻华生物。这项快速应变研究的主要影响，是在自然灾害发生后，提供急需的资料。 污水释放出的微生物可能会影响包括庞恰特雷恩湖在内的大片地区，并随后影响墨西哥湾。 在这两个地区有大量的人口和渔业，现在和将来可能会因接触这些化学品、微生物和有害藻华生物而患上急性和慢性疾病。 从基础科学和公共卫生的角度来看，调查这些污染物迁移的机制和程度非常重要。

ABSTRACTOCE-0554402This project is one of several coordinated marine environmental studies funded through a Small Grant for Exploratory Research (SGER) for rapid response to a natural disaster: the flooding of New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina. This effort by scientists at the NSF-NIEHS Center for Ocean and Human Health (COHH) at the University of Miami is part of a larger collaborative study with Louisiana State University at Baton Rouge, and with the NSF-NIEHS Centers for Oceans and Human Health at the University of Hawaii and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Shortly after Hurricane Katrina made landfall in the Gulf Coast Region, widespread flooding in the New Orleans area resulted in sewage overflows and contamination of floodwaters. Shortly thereafter, these floodwaters were pumped continuously into Lake Pontchartrain without treatment, resulting in the spread of contaminants into the Lake, which ultimately discharges towards the Gulf of Mexico. Working collaboratively, the multi-institutional research team will investigate the extent to which the waters in Lake Pontchartrain and vicinity have been contaminated with chemical contaminants, pathogenic microbes, and harmful algal bloom (HAB) organisms. The study will document the levels and spread of biotic and abiotic contaminants along with HAB organisms, information which will be useful for subsequent modeling efforts.With SGER funding under this award, University of Miami investigators will focus specifically on the collection of samples, extraction of microbial RNA and DNA from water samples, and analysis of samples for viral pathogens (enterovirus and Norovirus) and protozoan pathogens (Cryptosporidium and Giardia). In addition, samples will be collected for analysis of HAB organisms and their toxins as part of the NSF NIEHS funded Oceans and Human Health "Toxic HABs" Research Project at the University of Miami. The planned sampling program, as identified in complimentary proposals from LSU and UH, will be augmented with remote sensing technology available through the University of Miami CSTARS Center and Louisiana State University (LSU). This part of the study will provide data concerning the distribution of viruses, protozoans and HAB organisms. Along with funding from LSU and UH, these distributions can be compared with the distribution of indicator microbes to evaluate whether or not the "indicators" are true indicators of microbes of known public health concern. This is of significance as correlations have not been observed in warm humid climates not impacted by sewage. In this case, the site has been highly impacted by sewage, and it would be important to document if, in fact, strong correlations exist between the indicators and the pathogenic microbes. The samples collected through this study will be used to document the HAB organisms which emerge as a result of widespread pollution.The primary broader impact of this rapid-response study is that it will provide much needed information in the aftermath of a natural disaster. The microbes released by the sewage can potentially impact a large area including Lake Pontchartrain, and subsequently the Gulf of Mexico. There are significant human populations and fisheries in both these areas that can experience acute and chronic disease from these chemical, microbial, and HAB organism exposures now and in the future. From a basic science and public health perspective, it is important to investigate the mechanisms by which and the extent to which these contaminants have migrated.