Paul W. Kabler’s research while affiliated with IN-PART and other places

A study has been made of coli‐aerogenes bacteria isolated from 251 soil samples collected from 26 States and 3 foreign countries. Based on land use, the soils were classified in 8 classes of the undisturbed group and one additional group of soils which were known to have been exposed to various kinds of faecal pollution. Faecal coli‐aerogenes organisms were usually absent, or present in comparatively small numbers only, in undisturbed soils, with most counts being less than 1.8/g. There was a marked increase in the numbers in soils of the polluted group, with a density of between 3,300 and 49,000/g. Intermediate types represented 76% of the 2,348 strains isolated from the undisturbed soil classes, as contrasted with only 17% of 665 polluted soil strains. The IMViC reactions of the predominant type from the undisturbed group were ‐ + ‐ +, and this type represented 48% of the 2,348 strains isolated. The sanitary significance of the ‐ + ‐ + intermediate type as a soil coli‐aerogenes organism, in relation to data on types from faecal samples and certain remote mountain streams, suggests that the strains giving these IMViC reactions, and which are 45° negative, may possibly be considered as a type characteristic in unpolluted soils but relatively infrequent where faecal pollution has occurred. Since soil contains high numbers of organisms, other than coli‐aerogenes bacteria, which frequently produce false positive reactions by the ‘confirmed test’ procedure, the ‘completed test’ method is recommended for the examination of soils for coli‐aerogenes organisms.

Under unusual conditions, where the raw water supply contains large amounts of sewage or where there have been mechanical or human failures in water treatment plant operation, waterborne disease may result. Under normal conditions of raw-water supply and of adequate treatment plant operation in this country, however, the pathogenic bacterial and virus content in drinking water is below the infectious level when the Standard Methods coliform test shows no gas in any tube. The scarcity of waterborne disease outbreaks supports this view. Indicator organisms discussed include coliforms, fecal coliforms, and fecal streptococci. Treatment methods discussed for the removal of organisms include flocculation, filtration, and chlorination.

The objective of this study was to develop criteria for interpreting the significance of the coliform group or some of its subdivisions in the investigation of polluted waters. A brief review of the scientific basis for the use of the coliform group as a pollution indicator is presented, along with suggested criteria for resolving some of the difficulties in the interpretation of data with respect to the presence of coliform bacteria in various types of waters. The scientific basis for the use of the coliform groups as pollution indicators is reviewed and the various methods used in interpreting coliform data are discussed.

Tabak, Henry H. (Robert A. Taft Sanitary Engineering Center, Cincinnati, Ohio), Cecil W. Chambers, and Paul W. Kabler. Microbial metabolism of aromatic carbon compounds. I. Decomposition of phenolic compounds and aromatic hydrocarbons by phenol-adapted bacteria. J. Bacteriol. 87 910–919. 1964.—Bacteria from soil and related environments were selected or adapted to metabolize phenol, hydroxy phenols, nitrophenols, chlorophenols, methylphenols, alkylphenols, and arylphenols when cultured in mineral salts media with the specific substrate as the sole source of carbon. A phenol-adapted culture (substrate-induced enzyme synthesis proven) was challenged in respirometric tests with 104 related compounds; probable significant oxidative activity occurred with 65. Dihydric phenols were generally oxidized; trihydric phenols were not. Cresols and dimethylphenols were oxidized; adding a chloro group increased resistance. Benzoic and hydroxybenzoic acids were oxidized; sulfonated, methoxylated, nitro, and chlorobenzoic acids were not; m-toluic acid was utilized but not the o- and p-isomers. Benzaldehyde and p-hydroxybenzaldehyde were oxidized. In general, nitro- and chloro-substituted compounds and the benzenes were difficult to oxidize.

This study considers the sanitary significance of coliforms, fecal coliforms, and streptococci isolated from 152 species of plants and 40 samples of insects. These specimens were collected from various ecological environments and grouped into several categories. Results indicate that typical coliforms of the warm-blooded animal gut contribute a relatively small percentage of the organisms associated with vegetation (14.1%) and insects, (14.9%). A total of 1,203 coliform strains from vegetation and 1,084 coliform strains from insects were classified as to IMViC type and fecal coliform. No type was predominant in either the vegetation or insect groupings. The biochemical results for 646 streptococci from vegetation and 226 cultures from insects were reported. The predominant group, Streptococcus fecalis, as defined by Sherman criteria, constituted a majority of all strains from vegetation and insects. The "Completed Coliform Test" is recommended for the examination of plant and insect specimens to eliminate the many anaerobic and aerobic sporeforming bacteria that frequently produce false positive reactions by the "Confirmed Test" procedure. These findings support the current interpretation of the significance of the fecal coliform test for stream investigations or for surface water quality evaluations.

This study considers the sanitary significance of coliforms, fecal coliforms, and streptococci isolated from 152 species of plants and 40 samples of insects. These specimens were collected from various ecological environments and grouped into several categories. Results indicate that typical coliforms of the warm-blooded animal gut contribute a relatively small percentage of the organisms associated with vegetation (14.1%) and insects, (14.9%). A total of 1,203 coliform strains from vegetation and 1,084 coliform strains from insects were classified as to IMViC type and fecal coliform. No type was predominant in either the vegetation or insect groupings. The biochemical results for 646 streptococci from vegetation and 226 cultures from insects were reported. The predominant group, Streptococcus fecalis, as defined by Sherman criteria, constituted a majority of all strains from vegetation and insects. The “Completed Coliform Test” is recommended for the examination of plant and insect specimens to eliminate the many anaerobic and aerobic sporeforming bacteria that frequently produce false positive reactions by the “Confirmed Test” procedure. These findings support the current interpretation of the significance of the fecal coliform test for stream investigations or for surface water quality evaluations.

This chapter presents the effect of bacterial decomposition of hexadecanol and octadecanol in monolayer films on the suppression of evaporation loss of water. A study is being conducted to ascertain the damaging effect of Pseudomonas and Flavobactenum sp. on monolayers of hexadecanol and octadecanol as reflected by the bacterial population increase, impairment or loss of evaporation suppression efficiency of the film, and changes in film pressure in the absence of excess of alcohol needed for film repair. While the study is incomplete, few results have been obtained thus far. Hexadecanol and octadecanol on distilled water supported a limited growth of both Pseudomonas and Flavobactenum, the peak population being about one million per milliliter. The impairment of the evaporation suppression efficiency of these films appeared to be more closely related to the isolation of the alcohol solids to prevent the spreading needed for film repair than to the damage done to the film. In the absence of an excess of the alcohol needed for film repair, the hexadecanol film formed on Pseudomonas-laden distilled water without an established surface bacterial population retained its equilibrium pressure for about a day. On the basis of these observations, it is concluded that while an effective means is being developed for controlling the growth of these bacteria, the best method of obtaining the maximum evaporation suppression efficiency for use in the field is to apply the hexadecanol or hexadecanol–octadecanol mixture in a continuous manner.