Evaluation of the relationship between two different methods for enumeration fecal indicator bacteria: Colony-forming unit and most probable number

Kyung Hwa Cho, Dukki Han, Yongeun Park, Seung Won Lee, Sung Min Cha, Joo Hyon Kang, Joon Ha Kim

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

33 Scopus citations

Abstract

Most probable number (MPN) and colony-forming unit (CFU) estimates of fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) concentration are common measures of water quality in aquatic environments. Thus, FIB intensively monitored in Yeongsan Watershed in an attempt to compare two different methods and to develop a statistical model to convert from CFU to MPN estimates or vice versa. As a result, the significant difference was found in the MPN and CFU estimates. The enumerated Escherichia coli concentrations in MPN are greater than those in CFU, except for the measurement in winter. Especially in fall, E. coli concentrations in MPN are one order of magnitude greater than that in CFU. Contrarily, enterococci bacteria in MPN are lower than those in CFU. However, in general, a strongly positive relationship are found between MPN and CFU estimates. Therefore, the statistical models were developed, and showed the reasonable converting FIB concentrations from CFU estimates to MPN estimates. We expect this study will provide preliminary information towards future research on whether different analysis methods may result in different water quality standard violation frequencies for the same water sample.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)846-850
Number of pages5
JournalJournal of Environmental Sciences (China)
Volume22
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - 2010

Keywords

  • Colony-forming unit
  • Enterococci
  • Escherichia coli
  • Fecal indicator bacteria
  • Most probable number

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