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DETECTION OF FECAL COLIFORMS IN WATER USING 14C-MANNITOL
Citation:
Reasoner, D. AND E. Geldreich. DETECTION OF FECAL COLIFORMS IN WATER USING 14C-MANNITOL. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/J-89/114 (NTIS PB90117110), 1989.
Description:
Interest in rapid bacterial detection methods for sanitary indicator bacteria in water prompted a study of the use of 14C-mannitol (UL) to detect fecal coliforms (FC). implemethod was developed using m-FC broth, membrane filtration, and two-temperature incubation (35oC for 2 h, followed by 44.5oC for 2.5h). 4C-mannitol was added to the medium and the temperature raised to 44.5oC after 2 h at 35oC. 4CO2 was collected as Ba14CO3 and assayed by liquid scintillation spectroscopy. orrelations were examined between FC cell numbers at the start of incubation (standard 24 h FC test) and Ba14CO3 counts per minute (CPM) after 4.5 h. esults from experiments employing dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) to increase permeability of FC to 14C-mannitol indicated no increase in 14CO2 production due to DMSO. Detection of FC using this method may be useful for rapid analyses of potable water suspected of contamination due to distribution line breaks or cross-connections, or for quick surveys of potable source water quality.
