title: Occurrence of Legionella pneumophila in lakes serving as a cooling system of a power plant.
abstract: This study was aimed at determining whether Legionella pneumophila can be found in lakes serving as a natural cooling system of a power plant. Water samples were collected from five lakes forming the cooling system of the power plants Pątnów and Konin (Poland). The numbers of bacteria belonging to different phylogenetic groups (bacteria, Legionella sp. and L. pneumophila) were determined with the use of a molecular FISH method. The results of the present study show that thermally altered aquatic environments provide perfect conditions for the growth of L. pneumophila. These microorganisms were identified in the biofilm throughout the entire research period, and in the subsurface water layer in July and August. The percentage of L. pneumophila species in the Legionella genus was 11.55-12.42%.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland. walczak@umk.pl.
authors.forename: Maciej
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Walczak
authors.forename: Hanna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kletkiewicz
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Burkowska
mesh_terms: D060106:Lakes; D016952:Legionella pneumophila / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011210:Power Plants; D014871:Water Microbiology; D014876:Water Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*