Title: Transport and influential parameters of Cryptosporidium from soil to surface water with preferential flow

Authors: Tao Yuan; Sen Cheng; Yadong Kong; Ping Lu

Addresses: School of Architectural Decoration, Jiangsu Vocational Institute of Architectural Technology, Xuzhou, 221000, China ' School of Environmental Science and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, 221116, China ' School of Environmental Science and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, 221116, China ' School of Environmental Science and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, 221116, China

Abstract: Cryptosporidium outbreaks in surface water are the main route of the human infection cryptosporidiosis; however, Cryptosporidium transport from soil to surface water is not clear. In this paper, two transport paths were simulated to determine the transport behaviour and mechanism of Cryptosporidium oocyst substitutes in a soil-water medium (i.e., root path with preferential flow and root-free path without preferential flow) through laboratory experiments. Fluorescent polystyrene microspheres were used as substitutes for Cryptosporidium oocysts. A 50 cm slope model was used to simulate the two-dimensional transport of Cryptosporidium oocyst substitutes under rainfall conditions. The results showed that the preferential flow formed by plant roots enhanced the transport of Cryptosporidium oocysts. Soil physicochemical properties affected the transport of Cryptosporidium oocyst substitutes, and the results indicated that a high sodium ion intensity and organic matter content in soil inhibited the transport of Cryptosporidium oocyst substitutes; low soil pH values enhanced the adsorption by plant roots, thereby inhibiting the transport of Cryptosporidium oocyst substitutes.

Keywords: Cryptosporidium substitutes; transport mechanisms in environment; influencing factors; public health.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEP.2023.135412

International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 2023 Vol.72 No.1, pp.29 - 39

Accepted: 04 Oct 2021
Published online: 11 Dec 2023 *