The traditional indicators Escherichia coli (in practice currently, though ecologically inaccurately, represented by 'thermotolerant coliforms' at 44 degrees C) and Enterococcus spp. proved to be suitable for the diagnosis of heavy and frequent faecal pollution observed in potentially dangerous waters, especially those originating from karstic aquifers. On the other hand, natural and treated waters, slightly and inconsistently contaminated, occasionally showed a variable Gram-negative flora, difficult to classify by routine tests. In that case, complete identification of isolates may be necessary to ensure a valid decision on the potability of the supply. At any rate some of the Enterobacteriaceae contained in the 'faecal coliform' group and many other 'coliforms', distinct from E. coli, lack sanitary significance although their presence at certain levels may indicate inadequate disinfection, hiatuses in the integrity of the distribution system or both.
The practical task of adapting an original potentiometric technique to the bacteriological analysis of water is discussed. Various laboratory strains of organisms belonging to the usual aquatic flora were inoculated one by one in a minimal lactose broth supplied with lipoic (thioctic) acid. The time evolution of the redox potential of the cultures was followed during incubation by combined gold versus reference electrodes. When the incubation temperature was regulated at 36 degrees C, most organisms were able to grow and to reduce the coenzyme, generating changes in the redox potential of the culture. However, very few organisms developed significant reductive activity when the temperature was increased to 41 degrees C and when the broth was provided with sodium deoxycholate. Among the fecal coliform organisms, only Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae exhibited early but reproducible potential-time responses. Positive potentiometric responses were also recorded with Acinetobacter calcoaceticus. E. coli showed rapid potentiometric signals as compared with K. pneumoniae. The time required for 100-mV shift of potential to be detected was related to the logarithm of the initial concentration of E. coli or K. pneumoniae in the culture broth. Experiments on natural surface water samples showed the the potentiometric method, associated with the selective incubation conditions, mainly detected E. coli among the bacterial flora of the tested environmental water. The calibration curve relating the time required for a 100-mV shift of potential to be detected to the number of fecal coliforms, as determined by control fecal coliform-selective plate counts, was consistent with the composite standard curve of detection times obtained with six different laboratory strains of E. coli.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Water samples of various origins were inoculated into a specific coliform-selective lactose broth provided with lipoic (thioctic) acid, and the time evolution of the redox potential of the cultures was monitored during incubation at 41°C by use of gold versus reference electrodes. Positive potential-time responses, i.e., 100-mV potential shifts recorded within 20 h of inoculation, were related to the initial number of fecal coliforms in the broth determined by control enumeration techniques, and the organisms responsible were isolated and identified by conventional procedures. A total of 30 samples of wastewater, 38 of surface water, 553 of groundwater, and 110 of drinking water were tested successively. A total of 240 natural water samples, including 172 groundwater samples, and 1 drinking water sample were found to be positive in the potentiometric test. The majority (i.e., 92.5%) of the relevant potentiometric detection times were shorter than 15 h, and 96% of these could be attributed to Escherichia coli. Fifteen hours corresponded to the limit for detecting 1 E. coli cell per 100 ml of water. About 78% of the potentiometric responses occurring after 15 h were induced by fecal coliforms other than E. coli (Enterobacter cloacae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Citrobacter freundii). Calibration curves relating detection times shorter than 15 h to fecal coliform (i.e., E. colt) concentrations were constructed for the natural water samples tested. There were minor variations in the average growth rate of the organisms in relation to the contamination level of the water tested. The number of false-positive samples in the potentiometric test was equivalent to that of false-negative samples (groundwater or drinking water).
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