Science Forum

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The Need for Speed - Rapid Methodologies to
Determine Bathing Beach Water Quality

Richard Haugland, Alfred Dufour, Shawn Siefring, Kristen Brenner ¦ National Exposure Research Laboratory ¦ Microbial & Chemical Exposure Assessment Research Division

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Thirty	Years

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Methods:

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Indicator
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Antibody

Floiu Cytometer
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The Problem

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The Jones family of Bayside, California, goes to the beach on Saturday.

But the Bayside Health Department won't know until Sunday if the water is safe for swimming!

Why?

Current microbiological methods designed to determine if it is safe to swim at marine
and freshwater beaches require 24 hours for results to become available.

The Solution

Enterococci colonies on mEI agar

The National Exposure Research Laboratory- Cincinnati is developing!evaluating rapid methods (results in 2 hours),
so that people will know BEFORE they go to the beach whether it is safe to swim.

The presence of fecal indicator bacteria in recreational waters indicates that pathogenic bacteria, viruses andlor protozoan
parasites might also be present. Three new methods to detect these indicator bacteria are currently being evaluated:

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Raptor Technology

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RAPTORm

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Real Time PCR

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Detector

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Beach managers and public health officials will be able to alert the public about
potential health hazards before exposure to unsafe water can occur, resulting in
less waterborne disease.

Partnering to Protect Human

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