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Regulatory and Environmental Affairs Division |
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Environmental Programs |
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West Virginia Department of Agriculture |
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Bacterial Source Tracking
The Environmental Programs Section has a project in place which is designed to identify the sources of bacterial pollutants found in local river systems. This program was initiated as a joint venture with Marshall University’s Forensic Science Department. Pulse Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) was the method chosen to isolate DNA banding patterns from bacterial pollutants collected in local streams. The thought behind the program is very simple; develop a database of DNA isolated from E. coli (the target bacteria for this study) from actual fecal collections. These DNA bands are then compared to unknowns, collected from local waterways, using specifically designed computer software.
Two publications have resulted from this research, both of which can be found in separate issues of Environmental Science and Technology. Environmental Programs personnel were listed as primary authors for both studies.
The West Virginia Department of Agriculture has recently entered into a contractual obligation with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) to continue its research in the field of bacterial source tracking. The study will utilize Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) technology. PCR has proven to be much more proficient in producing data faster. It has also proven to be more accurate in this type of research. This study was initiated in the late summer of 2006. Study results will be published at the completion of the project. |
