Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 5.14
Multiwavelength UV-vis spectroscopy for pathogen discrimination.
Source:
http://www.marine.usf.edu/sapd/spiep00ym.pdf.
given in Chapter 9. However, the potential of automated and miniaturized
systems with the widespread acceptance of fluorescent technologies bodes
well for future applications. Lightweight, inexpensive microscopes seem
to be very attractive for field-testing applications, and the authors using a
mobile phone to read the results stated that they chose this method because
many people in developing countries own cell phones. One challenge for
such systems will be to integrate them with miniaturized or simple sample-
processing techniques to genuinely have a full, and portable, system.
Automation of existing technology is well-advanced with the TECTA™
system and the Shaw Water system. The former automates the fecal indica-
tor procedure enabling faster results and on-site testing. This perhaps moves
microbial quality monitoring toward a position where results are obtained
fast enough for operational, reactive monitoring. However, disadvantages
remain with regard to the use of fecal indicator organisms and the lack of
correlation to some pathogens. With the latter system, the company is no
longer trading although the system would have offered a way to achieve
faster results and on-site testing. A discussion of some of the barriers to
market entry and the challenges companies face in developing new tech-
nology for water utilities is presented in Chapter 11. However, it is clear that
while both of these automated approaches speed up monitoring and reduce
technician time, the disadvantages of the traditional approaches remain, par-
ticularly the lack of information on species and viability.
Miniaturization and/or automation may also be the hope of flow
cytometry for future applications, enabling wider access to such technology
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