Evaluation of membrane adsorption-epifluorescence microscopy for the enumeration of bacteria in coastal surface films.
We have evaluated a method for enumerating surface slick bacteria by combining a membrane adsorption procedure with epifluorescence microscopy. Various chemicals were investigated for their ability to enhance bacterial elution from the membrane filters. The results of the elution-epifluorescence method were compared to plate counts and to direct epifluorescence counts of the sampling membrane filters. In all tests, the elution-epifluorescence technique yielded significantly higher bacterial concentrations.
Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, 32611, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
L M
LM
Sewell
G
G
Bitton
J S
JS
Bays