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Protocol for Collection of Water Samples for Detection of Pathogens and Biothreat Agents
Citation:
Gallardo, Vincent, S. Shah, M. Mattioli, AND K. Berling. Protocol for Collection of Water Samples for Detection of Pathogens and Biothreat Agents. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/600/R-21/280, 2022.
Impact/Purpose:
This protocol has been jointly developed by the CDC and EPA and it addresses water sample collection for bio-hazard incidents and situations, in addition to sampling during natural outbreaks, and intentional or accidental biothreat contamination. The protocol and procedures can be implemented during pre- and post-decontamination phases of a response to an incident as well as for routine monitoring of water. The intended stakeholders and users include water utilities, waterborne outbreak environmental investigators, and emergency responders who may be called upon in a water response. Since this protocol was also developed considering the sample acceptability by the analytical laboratories like LRN and ERLN, it will facilitate timely, high-throughput, and accurate water sample analysis. Finally, this protocol will also help in addressing the 2018 National Biodefense Strategy – Goal 2.1.7 – “Improve the ability to detect biohazardous agents in source and finished drinking water.”
Description:
This document describes procedures for collecting and concentrating water samples in a field setting for waterborne pathogen and biothreat agent detection. The methods describe water sampling by concentrating large volumes of water in the field via dead-end ultrafiltration (DEUF) or via grab sampling when large volume methods are not feasible. DEUF concentrates microbiological contaminants by pushing large water volumes through a small pore size hollow fiber membrane to effectively capture protozoa, bacteria, viruses, and biotoxins larger than 10 to 30 kilodalton molecular weight depending on the filter. The samples produced through adhering to the protocols listed in this document will be acceptable for processing by the reference laboratories within the CDC’s LRN and the EPA’s ERLN, allowing for a streamlined response.