Sand in the beaches could be carrying more pathogenic bacteria than polluted water in the seas reported researchers from the University of Hawaii in a study published in Environmental, Science and Technology journal.

Some people think that it is safe to remain in the sand and watch the sea though beaches are closed of water pollution which the researchers warn as a bad idea. The investigators explain that harmful bacteria that cause gastrointestinal infections and diarrhoea remain in the beach sand for long time than they do in sea water, reported Abc News.

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It is observed that the beach sand contains abundant pathogenic bacteria like E. coli indicating the faecal contamination, noted the researchers. They also added that various studies carried out by scientists for over a decade now have shown that bacteria from faecal contamination in the beaches are 10 to 100 folds higher than that of the water present nearby, reported CBS News.  

Tao Yan, the lead author of the study from University of Hawaii at Manoa said that the waste-water contaminated beach sand acts as a source of faecal bacterial contamination to the beach sea-water.

According to the researchers, "The different decay rates of wastewater bacteria in beach sand and seawater indicate that beach sand needs to be considered carefully in assessing its impact on water quality monitoring and public health," noted Abc News.

Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert from Vanderbilt University Medical School, noted that the study is of great use for public health experts to determine if the beaches are safe for people since the focus now is on both, the water and the sand, reported Observer Chronicle.

Schaffner explained, "There's a dynamic interface between water and sand. Faecal indicator bacteria...die off more quickly than they do in the sand, at least some of them do. The sand likely keeps feeding and reintroducing indicator bacteria into the water."

He also added: "This is not trivial because there are many communities in the world where wastewater is...introduced into bodies of water." Schaffner noted that the study "gives us much more sophisticated sense of how long natural environment takes to clean up."

TagsBeach, Beach sand, Fecal contamination, gastrointestinal infection, diarrhea