REFERENCE MATERIALS FOR MICROBIOLOGICAL TESTING OF WATER

Objective

Various sorts of water (e.g. bathing water, tap water) are frequently monitored for their microbiological quality. False analytical results may have economic and public health consequences such as: unnecessary delay in taking repaired drinking water system back into use, unnecessary corrective actions after tests with false positive results, unnecessary condemnation of water sources for e.g. food industry, unnecessary constraints on the trade of mineral water or shellfish, unnecessary condemnation of bathing beaches, illness caused by undetected microbes in polluted water, etc. Intercomparisons have indicated that 5-15 % of all results are incorrect. Stability is the main difficulty in developing microbiological RM's. There is evidence that good stability can be achieved by isolating microbes in milk in gelatine capsules.

STATUS

Five intercomparisons have been conducted to study the stability of the materials during transport, reconstitution of lethally stressed micro flora and the various official tests for total coli and thermo tolerant coliforms. E. coli, E. Faecum and E. cloacae have been studied. The certification of E. faecum is foreseen for 1992.

Programme(s)

• FP2-BCR 4 - Research and development programme (EEC) in the field of applied metrology and chemical analysis (Community Bureau of Reference - BCR), 1988-1992

Funding Scheme

CSC - Cost-sharing contracts

Coordinator

RIVM

Address

9,A. Van Leeuwenhoeklaan
3720 BA Bilthoven
Netherlands

Participants (27)

Athens School of Hygiene

Greece

Address

196,Leoforos Alexandras Avenue
11521 Athens 618

CIVO-TNO

Netherlands

Address

48,Utrechtseweg
3704 HE Zeist

Campden and Chorleywood Food Research Association (CCFRA)

United Kingdom

Address

Station Road
GL55 6LD Chipping Campden

Danish Veterinary Service

Denmark

Address

13,Howitzvej
2000 Frederiksberg

Eastern Health Board

Ireland

Address

10,Corn Market
8 Dublin

INSA - Inst. Nacional de Saude Dr. Ricardo Jorge

Portugal

Address

Av. Padre Cruz
1699 Lisboa

Institut for Veterinary Medicine of the Federal Health Office

Germany

Address

Thielallee 88-92
14195 Berlin

Institut für Veterinärmedizin

Germany

Address

Thielallee
14195 Berlin

Instituto de Salud Publica de Navarra

Spain

Address

15,C/ Leyre
31003 Pamplona

Lab. Nac. de Engeharia e Tecnol. Industrial

Portugal

Address

1,Rua Vale Formoso
1000 Lisboa

Laboratoire National de la Santé

Luxembourg

Address

1A,rue Aguste Lumire
1960 Luxembourg

MAFF CENTRAL VETERINARY LABORATORY

United Kingdom

Address

New Haw
K115 3NB Weybridge

Ministère de l'Agriculture

France

Address

43 Rue De Danzig
75015 Paris

Ministère de l'Agriculture

France

Address

43 Rue De Danzig
75015 Paris

National Food Administration

Sweden

Address

75126 Uppsala

Nestec Ltd.

Switzerland

Address

55,Av. Nestlé
1800 Vevey

Nestle Nederland

Netherlands

Address

106,Laan
8071 CJ Nunspeet

Public Health Laboratory Service

United Kingdom

Address

61 Colindala Avenue
NW9 5HT London

RHEINISCHE FRIEDRICH-WILHELMS-UNIVERSITAET BONN

Germany

Address

Meckenheimer Allee 168
53115 Bonn

Rijkszuivelstation

Belgium

Address

370,Brusselsesteenweg
9090 Melle

Royal Veterinary and Agricultural Univ.

Denmark

Address

13,Bulowsvej
1870 Frederiksberg C

State Institute for Quality Control of Agricultural Products

Netherlands

Address

45,Bornsesteeg
6708 PD Wageningen

Univ. College Dublin

Ireland

Address

4 Dublin

Universidad de Lleida

Spain

Address

177,Avda. Alcade Rovira Roure
25006 Lleida

Universiteit Gent

Belgium

Address

653,Coupure Links
9000 Gent

Università degli Studi di Bologna

Italy

Address

Via Tolara Di Sopra
40064 Ozzano Dell'emilia Bologna

Università degli Studi di Udine

Italy

Address

Piazza Kolbe
33100 Udine