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. 2025 Apr 30;13(5):1038.
doi: 10.3390/microorganisms13051038.

Native Bacterial Communities of Two Italian Salso-Bromo-Jodic and Sulphurous Natural Mineral Waters

Angela Kuka  1 , Irene Mileto  1 , Marco Saler  2   3   4 , Greta Petazzoni  1   2 , Marta Corbella  1 , Fausto Baldanti  1   2 , Angela Faga  3 , Giovanni Nicoletti  2   3   4   5
Affiliations

Native Bacterial Communities of Two Italian Salso-Bromo-Jodic and Sulphurous Natural Mineral Waters

Angela Kuka et al. Microorganisms. .

Abstract

A correlation between resident non-pathogenic bacterial populations in certain natural mineral waters and their beneficial effects has been established by several research groups. This study aims to characterize the bacterial composition of the Rivanazzano salso-bromo-jodic and sulphurous mineral waters (Pavia, Italy). Water samples were collected from natural sources and dispensing systems. DNA was extracted and subjected to 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Microbial composition, as well as alpha and beta diversity, were analyzed using amplicon sequence variants and compared across sampling sites. The predominant phyla in both waters were Proteobacteria, Campylobacterota, Bacteroidota, and Desulfobacterota. However, diversity at the family taxonomic level was recorded. In terms of bacterial diversity, waters collected from the dispensing systems within the spa resort were more similar between them than those from natural sources. The therapeutic properties of the Rivanazzano mineral waters are likely to be related to their combined mineral and biological composition.

Keywords: 16S; bacterial communities; mineral water; non-pathogenic microflora; salso-bromo-jodic water; sulphurous water.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Schematic representation of the Rivanazzano Terme water network. Collection sites are indicated by numbers in red circles: (1) salso-bromo-jodic water from the natural source collected at the exit of the last settling tank (SalsRWS); (2) heated salso-bromo-jodic water collected at the exit of its storage tank within the spa resort (SalsHRWB); (3) salso-bromo-jodic water at the natural source temperature collected at the exit of its storage tank within the spa resort (SalsRWB); (4) sulphurous water collected at the natural source (SulphRWS); and (5) sulphurous water collected at the exit of its storage tank within the spa resort (SulphRWB).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Most representative taxa at the (a) phylum, (b) class, and (c) family level of bacterial communities in salso-bromo-jodic waters divided by sample site: salso-bromo-jodic water collected at the natural source (SalsRWS); heated salso-bromo-jodic water (SalsHRWB); and salso-bromo-jodic water at natural source temperature (SalsRWB) collected at the exit of the respective storage tanks within the spa resort. For the barplots, samples of each site were pooled by median ASV count.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Most representative taxa at the (a) phylum, (b) class, and (c) family level of communities in sulphurous waters divided by sample site: sulphurous water collected at natural source (SulphRWS) and sulphurous water collected at the natural source temperature (SulphRWB) within the spa resort. For the barplots, samples of each site were pooled by median ASV count.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Diversity analyses. (a) Alpha and (b) Beta diversity at the family taxonomic level for salso-bromo-jodic waters at the different collection sites: salso-bromo-jodic water collected at the natural source (SalsRWS); heated salso-bromo-jodic water (SalsHRWB); and salso-bromo-jodic water at natural source temperature (SalsRWB) collected at the exit of the respective storage tanks within the spa resort.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Diversity analyses. (a) Alpha and (b) Beta diversity at the family taxonomic level for sulphurous waters divided by sample site: sulphurous water collected at natural source (SulphRWS) and sulphurous water collected at the natural source temperature (SulphRWB) within the spa resort.
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