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Abstract

This study was conducted to introduce and assess a novel automated system for monitoring of Fecal Indicator Bacteria and therefore evaluate seawater quality. The system presents the comparative advantage that it can give accurate results in real time and in the field. Here, we develop the seawater analyzer and evaluate the process by comparing the function of the device with plate count technique known as gold standard method. We demonstrate a system that changes color with the bacterial presence and is considered to be accurate, rapid and precise to warn for fecal contamination. We also present results by applying the method in different seacoasts regarding the swimming activity during the winter months but also the activity that concerns only at the beginning of the summer season June to September. A chi-square test of independence was performed between ISO method for E. coli and the bioanalyzer and between ISO method for E. faecalis and the bioanalyzer, p = 0.488 and p = 0.269, respectively. The novelty of the proposed method is that it integrates automated boiling as an extraction method to concentrate bacteria onto a filter, and it uses LAMP PCR to produce a portable optical sensor for environmental pathogen monitoring. This method is considered to be appropriate for bacterial detection in seawater, capable of monitoring coastal sites with results comparative to the gold standard method.