title: Total coliform detection in drinking water: comparison of membrane filtration with Colilert and Coliquik.
abstract: The Colilert (CL) and Coliquik (CQ) systems were compared in a presence-absence format against the Standard Methods membrane filtration (MF) technique to determine whether differences existed in total coliform detection. Approximately 750 water samples were collected from distribution systems, covered and uncovered storage reservoirs, well sites, and the influent to drinking water treatment plants. Samples were analyzed for total coliforms and heterotrophic bacteria with MF, CL, and CQ. The agreements between CL and MF and between CQ and MF were both greater than 94.8%, which indicates that both may be acceptable methods for total coliform detection. Disagreement between the CL and CQ methods was primarily due to false-negative results. Furthermore, laboratory and field inoculation methods were compared for CL, more than 98% agreement was obtained. This finding indicates that sampling and immediate field inoculation may be an alternative to the traditional laboratory inoculation.
authors.affiliation: Program in Social Ecology, University of California, Irvine 92717.
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Olson
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: B B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Milner
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Wolfe
mesh_terms: D002140:California; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005374:Filtration; D006801:Humans; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014871:Water Microbiology; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014881:Water Supply
chemical_list: D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D014873:Water Pollutants