I. George et al., Use of beta-D-galactosidase and beta-D-glucuronidase activities for quantitative detection of total and fecal coliforms in wastewater, CAN J MICRO, 47(7), 2001, pp. 670-675
Two enzymatic methods based on the measurement of the beta -D-galactosidase
activity of total coliforms and the beta -D-glucuronidase activity of Esch
erichia coli were used to assess coliform levels in wastewater alongside tr
aditional culture-based techniques, which can be biased by the aggregation
of bacteria or their attachment to particles. Enzymatic methods were precis
e (i.e., coefficients of variation were 9%-15%), rapid (response in 20 min)
, and correlated well (in log units) with traditional techniques for raw an
d treated sewage (r(2) > 0.75). They were used for rapid assessment of coli
form removal efficiency in two different wastewater treatments. These metho
ds could be useful for the estimation of the abundance of coliforms in dome
stic sewage and their removal by wastewater treatment processes.