When public-health authorities close a beach, Michael Sadowsky heads for the shore. It isn't that the microbiologist likes to dip his toes in dirty water. But for Sadowsky, 51, a few drops of contaminated H2O are worth their weight in gold.
Sadowsky, a professor at the University of Minnesota's department of soil, water and climate, is one of the world's foremost experts on tracking the sources of E. coli, the bacterium most commonly responsible for beach closures. E. coli is found in abundance in human fecal matter and represents a significant health threat, which is why the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency...