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. 1997 Feb;63(2):771–774. doi: 10.1128/aem.63.2.771-774.1997

Limitations of highly sensitive enzymatic presence-absence tests for detection of waterborne coliforms and Escherichia coli.

S O Van Poucke 1, H J Nelis 1
PMCID: PMC168368  PMID: 9023956

Abstract

This study presents evidence for the unfeasibility of enzymatic presence-absence tests to detect one total coliform or one Escherichia coli organism in 100 ml of drinking water within a working day. The results of field trials with prototype chemiluminometric procedures indicated that the sensitivity-boosting measures that are essential to achieve the required speed compromise the specificity of the tests.

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Selected References

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