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Open research questions in Fecal contamination and water quality

60 unresolved questions extracted from the limitations and future-work sections of 301 Fecal contamination and water quality papers in our library. Each links back to the study that raised it.

What the literature leaves open

  • The lack of regular monitoring of water sources may lead to undetected contamination, posing serious health risks. There is a need for comprehensive assessments of water quality and microbial contamination in institutional water resources.

    Assessment of water quality and microbial contamination in institutional water resources: a necessity to understand health risks · 2026 · DOI

  • There is no effective method for complete sanitization of sludge. The study aims to evaluate the effect of alkaline treatments on the sanitization of biosolids.

    Assessment of the effect of alkaline additives for hygienization and inactivation of bacteria indicator and helminth eggs in faecal sludge · 2026 · DOI

  • The use of untreated wastewater and sewage-contaminated water for irrigation is a major source of pathogenic microorganisms. The lack of proper hygiene practices during farming activities contributes to bacterial contamination. The detection of bacterial contamination in irrigation water is a challenge due to the presence of multiple bacterial species.

    Molecular Characterization of Pathogenic Bacteria in Irrigation Water from Zamfarawa River Jega, Kebbi State, Nigeria · 2026 · DOI

  • Urbanization and industrial activities affect water quality. Seasonal variations in water quality need to be considered. The correlation between the occurrence of gastrointestinal ailments among swimmers and fecal contamination indicators is complex.

    Development and evaluation of a recreational water quality index for the Red Sea Coastline, Saudi Arabia · 2026 · DOI

  • Poor facilities for the treatment of abattoir effluents. Lack of proper disposal of abattoir waste. Environmental pollution due to abattoir effluents.

    Microbiological Evaluation of Soil and Wastewater from Major Abattoir Sites in Umuahia, Abia State · 2026 · DOI

  • Contamination of groundwater due to inadequate sanitary separation distances. High levels of TDS, iron, and faecal coliforms in the groundwater. Limited community-scale groundwater surveillance and management.

    GROUNDWATER QUALITY AND SANITARY DISTANCE COMPLIANCE IN PERI-URBAN BAUCHI, NIGERIA: GWALLAMEJI AND YELWAN-TUDU COMPARED · 2026 · DOI

  • Contamination of water samples with bacterial pathogens. Limited understanding of the risks associated with water storage in tanks. Difficulty in maintaining proper water quality in laboratories.

    BACTERIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF WATER FROM TANKS IN VARIOUS LABORATORIES OF FEDERAL UNIVERSITY DUTSIN-MA, KATSINA STATE, NIGERIA · 2026 · DOI

  • The study faces challenges in terms of small sample size and limited generalizability. The removal of opportunistic pathogens in wastewater treatment systems is a complex challenge. The study must consider the factors influencing the persistence of opportunistic pathogens in wastewater treatment systems.

    Persistence of viable opportunistic pathogens in a multi-stage natural wastewater treatment system · 2026 · DOI

  • The Vaal river's water quality poses a threat to aquaculture production. Microbiological contaminants, such as E. coli, pose a risk to aquaculture health. The study highlights the need for effective management strategies to address water quality issues.

    Influence of Physico-Chemical and Microbiological Water-Quality Variables on Aquaculture Species: A Vaal River Case Study (Gauteng, South Africa) · 2026 · DOI

  • The study area has challenges of acute water scarcity. There is a need to examine the dynamic distribution of physicochemical and bacteriological characteristics of water samples from water supply sources.

    Dynamic Distribution of Physicochemical and Bacteriological Characteristics of Water Samples from Water Supply Sources in Rural Settlements of Ibarapa East Local Government Area, Oyo State, Nigeria · 2026 · DOI

  • The study identifies a gap in environmental surveillance in low-resource settings, where wastewater-based epidemiology may not be feasible. The study highlights the need for alternative matrices for environmental surveillance, such as soils adjacent to public waste bins.

    Enteric pathogens in soil adjacent to public waste bins in Maputo, Mozambique offers potential for environmental surveillance · 2026 · DOI

  • The acute lack of infrastructure for fecal sludge management. The direct discharge of fecal sludge into the environment.

    Assessment of the effect of alkaline additives for hygienization and inactivation of bacteria indicator and helminth eggs in faecal sludge · 2026 · DOI

  • Future studies should compare the results against the local enteric infection burden. Future studies should evaluate the effectiveness of sanitation infrastructure design in reducing the presence of enteric pathogens in soils. Future studies should explore the potential for environmental pathogen surveillance beyond conventional sampling matrices.

    Enteric pathogens in soil adjacent to public waste bins in Maputo, Mozambique offers potential for environmental surveillance · 2026 · DOI

  • Intensive catfish (Clariasgariepinus) aquaculture in peri-urban Owerri, southeastern Nigeria, generates nutrient-rich effluents that are routinely discharged onto adjacent farmland, yet the consequences for tropical soil chemistry and microbiology remain poorly documented.

    Effects of Catfish Aquaculture Effluents on Soil Physicochemical Properties and Microbial Community Structure in Peri-Urban Agricultural Soils of Owerri, Southeastern Nigeria · 2026 · DOI

  • Background: Hospitals are recognized as important point sources of antimicrobials; however, their contributions to antimicrobial contamination at the watershed scale remain poorly understood.

    Mass Flux Analysis Reveals the Presence and Fate of Antimicrobials in Hospital Effluent, Wastewater Treatment Plant, and River Environments · 2026 · DOI

  • 576 This study is limited by reliance on conventional culture-based methods for the identification of 577 presumptive pathogens, which may not provide definitive strain-level characterization or detect 578 viable but non-culturable organisms. Future investigations should incorporate serological and 579 molecular typing techniques to enhance pathogen confirmation and epidemiological resolution. 580 Additionally, inclusion of physicochemical parameters and chemical contaminant analyses 581 would allow a more comprehensive evaluation of beef safety and associated public health risks.

    Tracing the water–beef safety nexus: assessing water quality’s role in beef contamination from slaughterhouse to plate, in Southwest Ethiopia · 2026 · DOI

  • Total coliforms reduce slightly after filtration but still do not meet WHO standards, suggesting the filtration systems require further optimization or additional treatment stages.

    TREATMENT EFFICIENCIES OF SAND-BIOCHAR AND SAND FILTRATION SYSTEMS FOR HOUSEHOLD USE · 2026 · DOI

  • Fecal contamination indicator shows non-compliance with WHO standards despite sand-biochar filter's reduction of E. coli, indicating incomplete pathogen removal.

    TREATMENT EFFICIENCIES OF SAND-BIOCHAR AND SAND FILTRATION SYSTEMS FOR HOUSEHOLD USE · 2026 · DOI

  • This study focused on single-cycle mechanisms; while parallel long-term field monitoring confirms the BSP effect persists under complex wetting-drying conditions, its efficiency is modulated by structural evolution, warranting deeper investigation of these temporal dynamics.

    Biochar-regulated transport of weakly hydrophobic antibiotics between macropore and matrix domains in structured soil · 2026 · DOI

  • The magnitude of biochar's regulatory effect is specific to the 1% (w/w) crop-residue biochar employed; variations in feedstock, pyrolysis temperature, and dosage will inevitably alter physicochemical properties and modulate the pump's efficiency, requiring further investigation.

    Biochar-regulated transport of weakly hydrophobic antibiotics between macropore and matrix domains in structured soil · 2026 · DOI

  • The study had a limited sample size of 197 infants. The study only analyzed stool samples at two timepoints (baseline and end of intervention).

    Chlorinated drinking water exposure enriches antimicrobial resistance pathways in the infant gut microbiome: a randomized trial · 2026 · DOI

  • Key words: Antibiotic resistance, water chlorination, gut microbiota, infant PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY Chlorine is widely used to make drinking water safe, but its effects on the infant gut microbiome are not well understood.

    Chlorinated drinking water exposure enriches antimicrobial resistance pathways in the infant gut microbiome: a randomized trial · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a lack of information on the bacterial load and pathogenic bacterial contamination of irrigation water used in Zamfarawa Farms, Jega Town. The sources of bacterial contamination in the irrigation water are not well understood.

    Molecular Characterization of Pathogenic Bacteria in Irrigation Water from Zamfarawa River Jega, Kebbi State, Nigeria · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a need for a reliable and efficient method to screen water sources for nitrate contamination. Commercially available test strips designed for human drinking water may not be suitable for cattle drinking water.

    Evaluation of six commercial test strips for measuring nitrate in cattle drinking water · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of pre-flood baseline data limits accurate estimation of the extent of changes caused by extreme hydrological phenomena. Limited temporal monitoring and methodological constraints are also identified as limitations.

    Microbial Hazards in Post-Flood Soils – An Overview · 2026 · DOI

Most-cited papers in Fecal contamination and water quality

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60 open questions have been extracted from the limitations and future-work passages of 301 Fecal contamination and water quality papers in our library. Each one below links back to the study that raised it, so you can read the original claim in context.

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