Rapid detection of Escherichia coli in water using a hand-held fluorescence detector.

摘要: Abstract The quantification of pathogenic bacteria in an environmental or clinical sample commonly involves laboratory-based techniques and results are not obtained for 24–72 h after sampling. Enzymatic analysis microbial activity water other samples using fluorescent synthetic substrates well-established highly sensitive methods addition to providing a measure specificity towards indicative bacteria. enzyme β- d -glucuronidase (GUD) is specific marker Escherichia coli 4-methylumbelliferone-β- -glucuronide (MUG) substrate determining the presence E. sample. However, currently used procedures require bench-top fluorimeters measurement fluorescence resulting from enzyme–substrate reaction. Recent developments electronic engineering have led miniaturisation detectors. We describe use novel hand-held fluorimeter directly analyse River Thames coli. by detector were compared with those established assay quantifying growth on chromogenic medium. Both reference utilised filtration samples. miniaturised was incubation times reduced 30 min making detection system portable rapid. developed reliably detected as low 7 cfu/mL river Our study demonstrates that new technology can be applied rapid convenient This enables monitoring carried out on-site. technique described generic it may, therefore, conjunction different which allows assessment various target microorganisms biological