Monitoring of selected bacteria and fungi in sand and sea water along the Tel Aviv coast.

Monitoring sand and sea water of the Mediterranean Tel Aviv beaches during 1989-1991 for bacterial quality showed varying data and no correlation between standard bacteria parameters (SBP) and potential pathogenic bacteria (PPB). An exceptional feature was observed in 1989 when faecal coliforms including Escherichia coli and faecal Streptococcus were less in sand than in sea water. These results may be attributed to the low turbulent activity of the sea in 1989, particularly in summer, compared with the next two years. In 1990 the number of SBP and PPB was always higher in sand than in sea water. The most frequent micro-organisms isolated from sand were E. coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans. Intensive engineering work and the construction of a chlorinator for sewage probably caused a dramatic drop in the number of SBP and PPB in sea water and sand during 1990-1991 on some beaches. Campylobacter jejuni was isolated from sand, and may be considered a possible hazard factor for enteritis in the population bathing at these beaches.