Abstract
The membrane methods described in Report 71 on the bacteriological examination of water supplies (Report, 1969) for the enumeration of coliform organisms and Escherichia coli in waters, together with a glutamate membrane method, were compared with the glutamate multiple tube method recommended in Report 71 and an incubation procedure similar to that used for membranes with the first 4 hr. at 30° C., and with MacConkey broth in multiple tubes. Although there were some differences between individual laboratories, the combined results from all participating laboratories showed that standard and extended membrane methods gave significantly higher results than the glutamate tube method for coliform organisms in both chlorinated and unchlorinated waters, but significantly lower results for Esch. coli with chlorinated waters and equivocal results with unchlorinated waters. Extended membranes gave higher results than glutamate tubes in larger proportions of samples than did standard membranes. Although transport membranes did not do so well as standard membrane methods, the results were usually in agreement with glutamate tubes except for Esch. coli in chlorinated waters. The glutamate membranes were unsatisfactory. Preliminary incubation of glutamate at 30° C. made little difference to the results.
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