Bacterial communities as indicators of environmental pollution

Study of naturally occurring bacterial communities inhabiting contaminated sediments from a Baltic Sea coastal area traditionally influenced by different types of industry. This study shows different bacterial community structures connected to different loads of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in marine sediments, with significant correlations between some POPs and specific bacterial taxa. Accordingly, the study of bacterial community composition and prevalence of certain taxa are suggested as a rapid and efficient approach to evaluate the environmental impact of POPs and ecological status of coastal areas.