ABSTRACT
Viruses associated with large-sized organic and inorganic particulates soon leave the water column and settle down in the bottom sediments, while viruses adsorbed on colloidal particles tend to stay afloat in the water for a longer period of time. Data from several laboratory experiments indicate prolonged survival of enteric viruses when they are associated with solids. Potential absorbents found in marine waters include sand, clays, aquatic life forms, silts and sediments. Lecithin, a component of beef extract, is found in mammalian cell membranes as part of the lipid bilayer and is available commercially as soybean, egg, and synthetic lecithins. Many enteric viruses adsorb to marine sediments at ambient pH of seawater with greater than 99% efficiency, perhaps due to high ionic concentration, while virus adsorption to freshwater sediments is slightly lower. Sediment composition and ionic composition of the water may influence virus elution from sediments.
