Limitations of highly sensitive enzymatic presence-absence tests for detection of waterborne coliforms and Escherichia coli

Abstract

This study presents evidence for the unfeasibility of enzymatic presence-absence tests to detect one total coliform or one Escherichia coli organism in 100 ml of drinking water within a working day. The results of field trials with prototype chemiluminometric procedures indicated that the sensitivity-boosting measures that are essential to achieve the required speed compromise the specificity of the tests.