Fast-Tracking Water Safety: Rapid Bacterial Detection

The presence of bacteria in water supplies is a concern for water managers everywhere and they are always looking for new technologies that offer quicker and more accurate detection methods.  Three principal parameters are of interest when monitoring – E. coli, Coliform Bacteria and Total Bacteria.

E.coli or Escherichia coli is a bacteria that is commonly found in the lower intestine of warm-blooded organisms. Most E.coli strains are harmless, but some can cause serious food poisoning. (Ref WHO).

Coliform bacteria include a large group of many types of bacteria that occur throughout the environment. They are common in soil and surface water and may even occur on your skin. Large numbers of certain kinds of coliform bacteria can also be found in waste from humans and animals. Most types of coliform bacteria are harmless to humans, but some can cause mild illnesses, and a few can lead to serious waterborne diseases. – (Ref:  The Pennsylvania State University). 

Total Bacteria Count of a substance is a quantitative estimate of the number of microorganisms present in a sample. This measurement is represented by the number of colony-forming bacterial units (CFU) per gram (or milliliter) in the sample. – (Ref:  Corrosionpedia). 

As in all water monitoring technologies, HydroTerra is always looking at suitable technologies to bring to our marketplace.  In the field of bacterial monitoring, HydroTerra has a couple of excellent suppliers – MicroLAN and ExactBlue.  Here is a quick snapshot of some products. 

MicroLAN BACTcontrol 

The BACTcontrol is an “early warning system”, complementing the officially accepted methods for the detection of microbiological activity. The measurements are realized in a short period of time, 1-2 hours. This is in contrast to classical microbiological methods, which are labour-intensive and in which cultivation of the organisms is required, taking several days before obtaining reliable results (24-48 hours). 

The BACTcontrol detects the microbiological activity in water. It measures the specific enzymatic activities of β-galactosidase (coliforms), β-glucuronidase (E.coli) and alkaline phosphatase (total activity, biomass), as an indicator of the presence of bacterial contamination. The enzyme activity is detected by adding reagents which contain a fluorescent indicator. The reagents are substrate-specific for the enzyme to be detected, meaning that there is an increase in fluorescence when the enzyme is present in the sample. 

ExactBlue  AquaVial PRO 500 

ExactBlue Technologies specializes in point of use rapid tests that are sensitive, and easy to use for detecting and monitoring contaminants in water.  These tests are suitable for a wide range of industries including agriculture, environmental management, hospitality, healthcare, dental and more. 

ExactBlue®’s nanotech platform uses functionalized nanoparticles that attach to viable cells and produce a change that can be observed.  Using proprietary sample preparation methods, ExactBlue can currently achieve detection limits required for pharmaceutical and medical water quality and can easily meet drinking and recreational water testing requirements. 

One such product is the AquaVial PRO 500.  These tests will detect 100 – 500 CFU/mL of total bacteria and provide results within 15 – 30 minutes.  The tests can be used with the ExactBlue Mobile Lab Platform, an easy-to-use smartphone-based nanotech platform that screens for total microbial contamination. The app can be used with any Apple or Android smartphone. 

Please contact HydroTerra if you require more details about these or other products.  Our Sales Team are happy to assist.  

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