Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-v9fdk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-17T21:39:30.840Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The effect of anaerobic spore-bearing organisms on the validity of the presumptive coliform test as used in the bacteriological examination of water: By the Public Health Laboratory Service Water Sub-Committee*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2009

Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

The investigation of 10,436 fermented tubes arising in the presumptive coliform examination of samples of water at six laboratories in England and Wales has shown that, with unchlorinated supplies, the unconfirmed presumptive test gives sufficiently accurate results. Full confirmation of all presumptive positive tubes of these waters is impracticable as a routine and ‘colony-confirmation’ gives a correction of only 0·5%. With chlorinated waters, however, ‘colony-confirmation’ discloses an error of 5·5%, largely due to the presence of anaerobes. This error can also affect the faecal coli (44° C.) count and may be so large in individual samples that assessment of chlorinated supplies should not be based on the presumptive test until this has been checked at least by plating.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Hygiene , Volume 51 , Issue 2 , June 1953 , pp. 268 - 277
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1953

References

American Public Health Association (1946). Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Sewage, 9th ed. New York: American Public Health Association.Google Scholar
Bardsley, D. A. (1934). J. Hyg., Camb., 34, 38.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Greer, F. E. (1928). J. infect. Dis. 42, 501.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mackenzie, E. F. W. (1938). 33 rd Annual Report Director of Water Examination, Metropolitan Water Board.Google Scholar
Mackenzie, E. F. W., Taylor, E. W. & Gilbert, W. E. (1948). J. gen. Microbiol. 2, 197.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ministry of Health (1939). The bacteriological examination of water supplies. Rep. Publ. Hlth, med. Subj., Lond., no. 71.Google Scholar
Public Health Laboratory Service (1951). The bacteriological control of drinking water. (Memorandum prepared by the P.H.L.S. Water Sub-Committee.) Mon. Bull. Minist. Hlth Lab. Serv. 10, 18.Google Scholar
Taylor, E. W. (1949). The Examination of Waters and Water Supplies, 6th ed. (Thresh, Beale and Suckling). London: Churchill.Google Scholar
Thresh, J. C., Beale, J. F. & Suckling, E. V. (1943). The Examination of Waters and Water Supplies, 5th ed. London: Churchill.Google Scholar
Wilson, G. S. & Miles, A. A. (1946). Principles of Bacteriology and Immunity, 3rd ed. p. 887. London: Edward Arnold and Co.Google Scholar