Quantitative microbial risk assessment as a tool for groundwater monitoring. A case study in the rural communities of Romania

Karst springs are an essential source of drinking water in rural communities North-Western Romania. Due to the fractured dolomite aquifers, dolines, or blind valleys, these vulnerable contamination by human and zoonotic pathogens. In this study, we assessed health risk associated with six springs’ gastrointestinal The data on occurrence E. coli estimated Campylobacter Rotavirus for a year monitoring from twenty-four samples were inputted into Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA) model (Machdar et al. 2013). QMRA was conducted following steps: hazard identification, dose-response assessment, exposure characterization (Haas C N 2014; World Health Organization 2016). order predict total cases illnesses spring consumers, probability infection illness calculated adults children. Results have shown that enteropathogenic , ranged between 1.1 × 10 -3 1.0 0 values much higher than acceptable limit -4 infections/person/year established WHO (2016). due pathogenic high, 8.8 -2 3.5 -1 five out groundwater sources. 4.0 6.4 both finding suggests consuming contaminated could lead severe acute, chronic, sometimes fatal consequences locals. This study provides valuable information karst groundwater, important implications resources management.