Pick, F. and Fish, K. orcid.org/0000-0002-3265-2826 (2024) Emerging investigator series: optimisation of drinking water biofilm cell detachment and sample homogenisation methods for rapid quantification via flow cytometry. Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology, 10 (4). pp. 797-813. ISSN 2053-1400
Abstract
Understanding biofilm microbial loads and viability within drinking water pipes is critical to inform sustainable management of ageing infrastructure to protect future water quality. This study establishes an optimised method for robustly harvesting and quantifying cells of biofilms sampled from drinking water systems. Extensive research was conducted to determine the best way to remove biofilms of diverse ages (3-9 months) from different sampling surfaces (pipe sections or coupons) and create homogenised samples for rapid cell enumeration using flow cytometry. Utilising a standardised brushing technique, the optimised approaches delivered the greatest yield of biofilm cells (nine times more cells removed than using sonication) and simultaneously homogenized samples without affecting integrity of intact cells. The optimal brushing strategy differed slightly between sampling surfaces (15 brush strokes for pipe sections, 30 for coupons). When applied to biofilms from a full-scale pipe system, the optimised sampling and flow cytometry methods consistently showed the same trends in biofilm cell concentrations as obtained via molecular analysis (qPCR), but more quickly and from a smaller sample area. Application of the optimised biofilm preparation approach to samples from operational DWDS will ensure that greater yield and more representative samples are collected and analysed, which is critical for any downstream biofilm characterisation or assessment of operational performance.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2024 The Royal Society of Chemistry. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence. (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/) |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Engineering (Sheffield) > Department of Civil and Structural Engineering (Sheffield) |
Funding Information: | Funder Grant number NATIONAL BIOFILM INNOVATION CENTRE BB/R012415/1 | 001POC18034 | ENGINEERING AND PHYSICAL SCIENCE RESEARCH COUNCIL EP/W037270/1 NATIONAL BIOFILMS INNOVATION CENTRE UNSPECIFIED |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 14 Feb 2024 11:01 |
Last Modified: | 07 Nov 2024 15:27 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1039/d3ew00553d |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:209102 |