Fecal Coliform Analyses. Method Evaluation for Stressed Organisms

摘要

No significant difference was found between two tests for fecal coliform densities using water samples from the treated sanitary waste outfalls at the Savannah River Plant, a nuclear materials production site located near Aiken, SC. These two methods of concern were the most probable number index (MPN) and the membrane filtration procedure (MF). The MPN method is the accepted method for determining fecal coliform densities in chlorinated effluents, but requires more than the MF procedure. Per Microbiological Methods for Monitoring the Environment (1978) by EPA, any decision to use the MF test for stressed organisms requires parallel testing with the MPN test. The MPN index is the number of fecal coliform bacteria that, more probably than any other number, would give the results shown by laboratory examination. It is not an actual count of coliform bacteria. The MF procedure is a direct plating method and the colonies are directly counted. (ERA citation 12:002013)