Survival of prototype strains of somatic coliphage families in environmental waters and when exposed to UV low-pressure monochromatic radiation or heat.

The potential use of specific somatic coliphage taxonomic groups as viral indicators based on their persistence and prevalence in water was investigated. Representative type strains of the 4 major somatic coliphage taxonomic groups were seeded into reagent water and an ambient surface water source of drinking water and the survival of the added phages was measured over 90 days at temperatures of 23-25 and 4 °C. Microviridae (type strain PhiX174), Siphoviridae (type strain Lambda), and Myoviridae (type strain T4) viruses were the most persistent in water at the temperatures tested. The Microviridae (type strain PhiX174) and the Siphoviridae (type strain Lambda) were the most resistant viruses to UV radiation and the Myoviridae (type strain T4) and the Microviridae (type strain PhiX174) were the most resistant viruses to heat. Based on their greater persistence in water over time and their relative resistance to heat and/or UV radiation, the Myoviridae (type strain T4), the Microviridae (type strain PhiX174), and the Siphoviridae (type strain Lambda) were the preferred candidate somatic coliphages as fecal indicator viruses in water, with the Microviridae (type strain PhiX174) the most resistant to these conditions overall.