Charm Pathogen Tests for Water
 Charm provides a variety of rapid pathogen indicator tests for water – ranging from detecting coliforms, E. coli, and hydrogen sulfide producing enterobacteriaceae, to coliphage. All are considered indicators of fecal contamination, especially when found in water supplies.
Click on the tabs below to learn more about each test.
ColiGel
ColiGel is a single use, self-contained version of the E*Colite test with selective medium designed to detect coliform and E. coli in drinking, bottled and food / beverage waters. ColiGel contains a special “gelling” agent that allows quantitation of colony forming units as well as presence/absence.
COLIGEL AT A GLANCE
• Presence / absence of coliforms and E. coli
• Quantitation of coliforms and E. coli
• Detect 1 cfu/ 100 ml
• Yellow after 28 hours indicates negative for coliform and E. coli
• Fluorescence determines E. coli presence
• No filters or media preparation
• Shelf-stable space saving design
• Bactericide pouch included for field applications when
autoclave unavailable
|
 |
|
E*Colite
 E*Colite is a single use, self-contained test with selective medium designed to resuscitate and detect chlorine-stressed coliform and E. coli encountered in drinking, bottled and food/beverage waters. A “bag” and “vial” version of E*Colite provide convenient, easy to use indicator screen tests for pathogen control. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires that all public water suppliers regularly test for coliform bacteria and deliver water that meets the EPA standards.
E*COLITE AT A GLANCE
• EPA Approved Analytical Method for National Drinking Water Regulations
• EPA Approved for Compliance Monitoring under the Ground Water Rule
• Presence/Absence of coliforms and E. coli in water and beverages e.g., fresh juice
• Bactericide pouch included for field applications when autoclave unavailable
• Blue color development for unequivocal coliform determination in rust colored/turbid waters
• Yellow after 28 hours indicates negative for coliform and E. coli
• Fluorescence determines E. coli presence
|
|
PathoGel
PathoGel is a single use, self-contained version of the ColiGel test with selective medium designed to detect coliform, E. coli and hydrogen sulfide producing enterobacteriaceae (e.g., salmonella, citrobacter) in food, beverages and waters. PathoGel contains a special “gelling” agent that allows quantitation of colony forming units as well as presence/ absence determination.
PATHOGEL AT A GLANCE
• Quantitative test for coliforms and E. coli
• Presence/absence indicator for hydrogen sulfide
producing enterobacteriaciae
• Detect 1 cfu/ 100 ml in water; 1 cfu/ 3 ml juice
• Shelf-stable space-saving design
|
 |
|
Fast Phage P/A (Presence/Absence)
Charm Sciences’ Fast Phage tests provide rapid detection of coliphage, a viral structure that is an indicator of fecal contamination in water. Coliphage has recently been named as an alternative indicator for the presence of fecal contamination in water under the US Ground Water Rule. While bacteria, coliforms, enterococci and E. coli, have been the historical indicator organisms for fecal pollution in water, viruses have been the predominant cause of waterborne illnesses. Coliphage are viral structures with similarity to pathogenic enteric viruses, and therefore better risk indicators than their bacterial counterparts.
With its fast results, Fast Phage enables rapid remediation of fecal risks in water supplies. Fast Phage variations include Presence/Absence (P/A), Most Probable Number (MPN), and Continuous Monitoring Tests. Applications include source, distribution and process water monitoring.
Fast Phage P/A is a two-step process to qualitatively detect as little as 1 coliphage per 100 ml sample. An initial 5-hour enrichment is followed with a 3-hour rapid fluorescent prediction of positive as well as a conventional overnight plaque assay modified after EPA Method 1601.
FAST PHAGE P/A AT A GLANCE
• Same day positive prediction – less than 8 hours
• Rapid fluorescent prediction with conventional
overnight plaque determination
• Convenient ready-to-use unit-dosed reagents
• Augment bacterial testing with coliphage viral indicator
• Dedicated kits specific to male specific (F+) and Somatic coliphage
|
|
|
Fast Phage MPN (Most Probable Number)
Charm Sciences’ Fast Phage tests provide rapid detection of coliphage, a viral structure that is an indicator of fecal contamination in water. Coliphage has recently been named as an alternative indicator for the presence of fecal contamination in water under the US Ground Water Rule.
While bacteria, coliforms, enterococci and E. coli, have been the historical indicator organisms for fecal pollution in water, viruses have been the predominant cause of waterborne illnesses. Coliphage are viral structures with similarity to pathogenic enteric viruses, and therefore are better risk indicators than their bacterial counterparts.
With its fast results, Fast Phage enables rapid remediation of fecal risks in water supplies. Fast Phage variations include Presence/Absence (P/A), Most Probable Number (MPN), and Continuous Monitoring Tests. Applications include source, distribution and process water monitoring.
Fast Phage MPN provides rapid 6-hour quantitatition of somatic coliphage that is useful as a fecal pollution index. Charm offers two version of the Fast Phage MPN test. One for volumes up to 4 ml that uses a TEMPO® MPN card and one for volumes up to 100 ml that can use a variety of MPN techniques such as 10 tube or Quanti-Tray®. Both Fast Phage MPN methods give same day results. Results are comparable to overnight plaque determination such as Method 1602.
FAST PHAGE MPN AT A GLANCE
• Somatic coliphage prediction
• Rapid fluorescent prediction
• Convenient ready-to-use unit-dosed reagents
• Less than 15 minute set-up time
• Applicable for field use
• Provides a Rapid Fecal Pollution Index
• Useful for water supplies and water used in produce
manufacture and harvesting
TEMPO is a registered trademark of bioMérieux SA, Marcy-l'Étoile, France. Quanti-Tray is a registered trademark of IDEXX Laboratories, Inc., Westbrook, Maine |
|
|
Fast Phage CTS (Continuous Testing System)
Charm Sciences’ Fast Phage tests provide rapid detection of coliphage, a bacterial virus that is an indicator of fecal contamination in water. Coliphage has recently been named as an alternative indicator for the presence of fecal contamination in water under the US Ground Water Rule.
While bacteria, coliforms, enterococci and E. coli, have been the historical indicator organisms for fecal pollution in water, viruses have been the predominant cause of waterborne illnesses. Coliphage are viral structures with some similarity to pathogenic enteric viruses, and therefore are better viral risk indicators than their bacterial counterparts.
With its fast results, Fast Phage enables rapid remediation of fecal risks in water supplies. Fast Phage variations include Presence/Absence (P/A), Most Probable Number (MPN), and Continuous Monitoring Tests. Applications include source, distribution and process water monitoring.
Fast Phage detection principles allow it to be employed using a constant sample stream. With the Continuous Testing System, a water sample is mixed with media and passed into a chemostat of E. coli. If the sample contains coliphage, the equilibrium of the chemostat is disrupted by coliphage replication in the host E.coli. E. coli infected with coliphage lyse and release enzyme which cause fluorescence that can be detected in as little as 90 minutes. Diverted water sample flows through the CTS at about 2 to 10 liters per day and is representative of the entire flow path. The system is self-cleaning and self-starting and can operate for over a week without intervention. Fast Phage CTS is ideal for detecting heterogeneous contamination events and for diagnostics of fecal infusion into ‘leaky’ distribution systems.
FAST PHAGE CTS AT A GLANCE
• Detection in as fast as 90 minutes!
• Rapid fluorescent detection
• Monitors a continuous water stream representative of entire flow rather
than batch sampling
• Self-starting and cleaning
• Operates over 1 week without intervention testing liter volumes
• Augment bacterial testing with coliphage viral indicator
• Dedicated reagents specific to male specific (F+) and Somatic coliphage
 ASM Poster
Fast Phage Poster at Water Quality Technology Conference (WQTC) 2009
Continuous Sampling and Monitoring of Fecal Contamination in Water- WQTC 2009 |
|
|
|
1.978.687.9200 
FAQ's: Sound Science behind Charm's novaLUM and PocketSwabs 