Teksoy Arzu
Department of Environmental Engineering, Bursa Uludağ University, Nilüfer, Bursa, Turkey, 16059.
Sci Rep. 2025 Jul 2;15(1):22903. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-03682-5.
This study conclusively demonstrated the presence of significant levels of assimilable organic carbon (AOC) in the drinking water distribution system of Bursa Province, utilizing ATP luminescence as a superior alternative to traditional bacterial counting methods. AOC is a critical factor, as it directly serves as a carbon and energy source for heterotrophic bacteria, raising concerns about microbial regrowth in water systems with detectable organic matter. Researchers established a robust calibration curve from the luminescence values of reference bacteria subjected to varying acetate carbon concentrations. This curve effectively transformed maximum luminescence values into precise equivalents of acetate carbon. The results were compelling: AOC concentrations in Zone C1 averaged 133 µgC/L using the traditional cultural methods, while ATP luminescence revealed elevated levels of 188 µgC/L. Despite the correlation coefficient of 0.823 between the two methods, the luminescence approach consistently returned higher AOC values. Crucially, both methodologies confirmed that the AOC levels were more than sufficient to support microbial regrowth within the distribution system. These findings establish ATP luminescence as a highly effective and time-efficient method for AOC assessment, allowing for better management of water quality and proactive measures against bacterial proliferation in drinking water systems.
本研究利用ATP发光法作为传统细菌计数方法的一种更优替代方法，确凿地证明了布尔萨省饮用水分配系统中存在显著水平的可同化有机碳（AOC）。AOC是一个关键因素，因为它直接作为异养细菌的碳源和能源，这引发了人们对含有可检测有机物的水系统中微生物再生长的担忧。研究人员根据不同醋酸盐碳浓度下参考细菌的发光值建立了一条可靠的校准曲线。这条曲线有效地将最大发光值转化为精确的醋酸盐碳当量。结果令人信服：使用传统培养方法时，C1区的AOC浓度平均为133μgC/L，而ATP发光法显示其水平升高至188μgC/L。尽管两种方法之间的相关系数为0.823，但发光法始终得出更高的AOC值。至关重要的是，两种方法都证实AOC水平足以支持分配系统内的微生物再生长。这些发现确立了ATP发光法作为一种评估AOC的高效且省时的方法，有助于更好地管理水质，并针对饮用水系统中的细菌增殖采取积极措施。
