title: Comparison of four β-glucuronidase and β-galactosidase-based commercial culture methods used to detect Escherichia coli and total coliforms in water.
abstract: The MI agar, Colilert(®), Chromocult coliform(®) agar, and DC with BCIG agar chromogenic culture-based methods used to assess microbiological quality of drinking water were compared in terms of their ubiquity, sensitivity, ease of use, growth of atypical colonies and affordability. For ubiquity, 129 total coliform (representing 76 species) and 19 Escherichia coli strains were tested. Then, 635 1-L well water samples were divided into 100 mL subsamples for testing by all four methods. Test results showed that 70.5, 52.7, 36.4, and 23.3% of the non-E. coli total coliform strains and 94.7, 94.7, 89.5, and 89.5% of the 19 E. coli strains yielded a positive signal with the four methods, respectively. They also yielded a total coliform positive signal for 66.5, 51.7, 64.9, and 55.0% and an E. coli positive signal for 16.1, 14.8, 17.3, and 13.4% of the 635 well water samples tested, respectively. Results showed that Colilert(®) is the most expensive method tested in terms of reactants, yet it is the easiest to use. Large numbers of atypical colonies were also often observed on Chromocult coliform(®) and DC with BCIG, thereby challenging the target microorganism count. Thus, the MI agar method seems to be the best option for the assessment of drinking water quality.
authors.affiliation: Chaire de recherche en eau potable de l'Université Laval, Québec City (Québec), Canada E-mail: andree.maheux.3@ulaval.ca; École supérieure d'aménagement du territoire et de développement régional, Université Laval, Québec City (Québec), Canada.
authors.forename: Andrée F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Maheux
authors.affiliation: Chaire de recherche en eau potable de l'Université Laval, Québec City (Québec), Canada E-mail: andree.maheux.3@ulaval.ca; Centre de recherche en aménagement et développement de l'Université Laval, Québec City (Québec), Canada.
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dion-Dupont
authors.affiliation: Chaire de recherche en eau potable de l'Université Laval, Québec City (Québec), Canada E-mail: andree.maheux.3@ulaval.ca; Centre de recherche en aménagement et développement de l'Université Laval, Québec City (Québec), Canada.
authors.forename: Sébastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bouchard
authors.affiliation: Chaire de recherche en eau potable de l'Université Laval, Québec City (Québec), Canada E-mail: andree.maheux.3@ulaval.ca; Centre de recherche en aménagement et développement de l'Université Laval, Québec City (Québec), Canada.
authors.forename: Marc-Antoine
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Bisson
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche en infectiologie de l'Université Laval, Axe Maladies infectieuses et immunitaires, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec, Québec City (Québec), Canada; Département de microbiologie-infectiologie et d'immunologie, Faculté de médecine, Université Laval, Québec City (Québec), Canada.
authors.forename: Michel G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Bergeron
authors.affiliation: Chaire de recherche en eau potable de l'Université Laval, Québec City (Québec), Canada E-mail: andree.maheux.3@ulaval.ca; École supérieure d'aménagement du territoire et de développement régional, Université Laval, Québec City (Québec), Canada.
authors.forename: Manuel J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
mesh_terms: D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005966:Glucuronidase / Q000378:metabolism*; D013045:Species Specificity; D014871:Water Microbiology / Q000592:standards*; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001616:beta-Galactosidase; D005966:Glucuronidase