We describe a modification of the most probable number (MPN) method for rapid enumeration of antimicrobial-resistant Escherichia coli bacteria in aqueous environmental samples. E. coli (total and antimicrobialresistant) bacteria were enumerated in effluent samples from a hospital (n ‫؍‬ 17) and municipal sewers upstream (n ‫؍‬ 5) and downstream (n ‫؍‬ 5) from the hospital, effluent samples from throughout the treatment process (n ‫؍‬ 4), and treated effluent samples (n ‫؍‬ 13). Effluent downstream from the hospital contained a higher proportion of antimicrobial-resistant E. coli than that upstream from the hospital. Wastewater treatment reduced the numbers of E. coli bacteria (total and antimicrobial resistant); however, antimicrobialresistant E. coli was not eliminated, and E. coli resistant to cefotaxime (including extended-spectrum betalactamase [ESBL] producers), ciprofloxacin, and cefoxitin was present in treated effluent samples.

No abstract

No abstract

An IR fibre optic sensor which operates in the 4-16 pm wavelength region has been developed for the in-situ monitoring of chlorinated hydrocarbons and pesticides in water. The sensing element consists of a silver halide (AgC1,Brl-,) optical fibre, coated with a polymer which both enriches the analyte in the evanescent wave region of the fibre and, when thick polymer coatings are used, minimizes water interference in the IR absorption. Using trichloroethylene and alachlor as representative pollutants, evanescent wave spectrometry in the mid-IR region is shown to provide good performance down to single ppm levels. Furthermore, it is shown that the technique can be applied to multi-analyte samples.

No abstract