AWWA WQTC63955

The European Guideline 98/83 stipulates mCP agar as the reference method forrecovering C. perfringens from drinking waters. However, previous studiesindicated that other media are more suitable for C. perfringens count fromrelatively unpolluted waters, part-treated waters or groundwaters. PACp® is afluorogenic culture medium based on acid phosphatase activity and wasdesigned in our laboratory for the detection of C. perfringens in water, withoutthe need of further confirmation. The results previously suggested that PACp®is an adequate medium for presence-absence determination of C. perfringens inwater. Thus, the main objective of this work was to investigate the ability of thisfluorogenic medium as an alternative approach using the most probable numbermethod for recovering C. perfringens in drinking water samples. To that end, the studyused marginally chlorinated water samples for generation of chlorine injuredorganisms using both river water and sewage effluent as the source of targetorganisms. Also, reference material and surface water samples were used. Thesamples were analyzed by means of the most probable number method with 50wells using PACp® medium. C. perfringens recovery was also performed onmCP agar (Cultimed, Panreac), according to Directive 98/83, and on TSC agar(Merck) also using membrane filtration technique. Both "presumptive" wellsfrom PACp® and colonies from mCP agar and TSC agar were examined forGram stain, sulphite reduction, lactose fermentation, "stormy fermentation",motility, gelatin liquefaction and nitrate reduction. The analysis of the dataindicated that the PACp® could be used as alternative methods for detecting and recovering C. perfringens in treated water. Includes 22 references, tables, figures.

Product Details

Edition:

Vol. - No.

Published:

11/01/2006

Number of Pages:

12

File Size:

1 file , 360 KB