Bacteriological examination of ballast water in Singapore Harbour by flow cytometry with FISH

• Published in: Marine pollution bulletin Vol. 49; no. 4; pp. 334 - 343
• Main Authors: Joachimsthal, E.L., Ivanov, V., Tay, S.T.-L., Tay, J.-H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2004; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Bacteria; Ballast water; Base Sequence; Biological and medical sciences; Coloring Agents; E. coli; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Enterobacter; Enterobacteria; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Escherichia coli; Eubacteria; Flow Cytometry; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; Marine and brackish environment; Microspheres; Oligonucleotide probe; Oligonucleotides; Organic Chemicals; Ships; Singapore; Vibrio; Water Microbiology; Asia; Singapore; Singapore, Singapore Harbour; ISEW, Singapore; Oligonucleotide probe; Flow cytometry; Enterobacteria; Ballast water; E. coli; Vibrio; Escherichia coli; Microflora; Harbor zone; Marine environment; Bacteria; Vibrionaceae; Enterobacteriaceae; Ballast tank
• ISSN: 0025-326X; 1879-3363
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2004.02.036

In this study the concentrations of total bacteria, enterobacteria, Vibrio spp., and E. coli have been compared for ballast water samples taken from ships in Singapore Harbour. The cell concentrations were enumerated using FISH and flow cytometry. The data were highly variable, reflecting the many influences upon ballast water as it is utilized in the shipping industry. The concentration of bacterial species was determined as a proportion of the total concentration of cells for the ballast water sampled. For the ballast water sampled these concentrations were 0.67–39.55% for eubacteria, 0–2.46% for enterobacteria, 0.18–35.82% for Vibrio spp., and 0–2.46% for E. coli. Using FISH and flow cytometry, an informative determination of the bacterial hazards of ship ballast water can be made.