With the rapid development of microbiological analysis in recent years, the question arises as to what the future of drinking water monitoring for microbiological parameters will look like.
In recent years, rapid development has taken place in the field of analysis of microbiological indicator parameters and pathogens. New detection technologies such as MALDI-TOF-MS, flow cytometry and PCR techniques allow for much faster samples processing of and significantly reduce the time until the results are available. In addition, these technologies offer high data resolution and provide access to more detailed information, which, for example, greatly simplifies and accelerates the search for pollution sources. At the same time, routine official monitoring is currently still based almost exclusively on classical culture methods in routine applications. Newer methods are only of secondary importance and are usually only used in problem cases, although they are finding their way into more and more laboratories, especially those of large drinking water suppliers.
Given the developments in microbiological analysis in recent years, the question arises as to the future of drinking water monitoring for microbiological parameters. Against this background, the currently available analytical techniques and procedures for microbiological parameters will be compiled, taking into account experiences from other fields (e.g. medicine, food monitoring). The study will show where routine monitoring, currently based on cultivation methods, can be usefully supplemented by molecular biological analysis. The methods will be evaluated with regard to their potential application for drinking water suppliers (areas of application, advantages and disadvantages, effort, field suitability, costs, standardisation). The aim of the project is to make statements on the future development of the analysis of microbiological parameters, to give recommendations for action for water suppliers, to make recommendations for regulation and standardisation, to support them in communicating with health departments/authorities and to provide methodological expertise.
Publications:
Fischeder, R., Böckelmann, U., Gerten, B., Gröbe, K., Hambsch, B., Kilb, B., Lange, B., Meyer, J., Soltwisch, A., Schneider, S., Schumacher, V.: Anforderungen an die mikrobiologisch-hygienische Trinkwasseruntersuchung: neue Verfahren. DVGW energie|wasser-praxis 67, Nr.2, S. 32-38 (2016).
Ho, J., Tiehm, A.: Durchflusszytometrie für das mikrobiologische Monitoring In: Zukunftsthemen der Wasserversorgung. 24. TZW-Kolloquium Veröffentlichungen aus dem Technologiezentrum Wasser, ISSN 1434-5765, TZW-Band 90: 81-96 (2019)
Ho, J.; Tiehm, A.; Nocker, A.; Bendinger, B.; West, S.; Trimbach, A.: Durchflusszytometrie als schnelle Detektionsmethode für Bakterien in Roh- und Trinkwasser. DVGW energie | wasser-praxis (EWP) 1/2020: 56-59 (2020)
Hügler, M., Stange, C., Ho, J., Hambsch, B., Tiehm, A.: Molekularbiologische Methoden – Trends und Entwicklungen. In: Entwicklungstrends für die Wasserversorgung. 22. TZW-Kolloquium, Veröffentlichungen aus dem Technologiezentrum Wasser Karlsruhe, ISSN 1434-5765, Band 80: 45-63 (2017)
Hügler, M.: Einsatz des MALDI-TOF zur Identifizierung von Krankheitserregern und Indikatorbakterien. In: Veröffentlichungen aus dem Technologiezentrum Wasser Karlsruhe. 27. TZW Kolloquium. Anpassungsstrategien und Handlungsoptionen für die Wasserbranche. S. 31-45 (2022)
Hügler, M.; Leister, C.; Hambsch, B.: Einsatz der MALDI-TOF-Massenspektroskopie zur Bakterien-Identifizierung in der Trinkwasser-Mikrobiologie. DVGW energie/wasser-praxis 73(12):52-59 (2022)
Stange, C.: Microbial Source Tracking – Identifizierung fäkaler Eintragsquellen. Veröffentlichungen aus dem Technologiezentrum Wasser, ISSN 1434-5765, TZW-Band 99 (2021)
The volumes of the TZW publications can be ordered here.
