Brad Mcilwain | Author at LuminUltra

Brad McIlwain has over eight years of experience in the water and wastewater industry. Prior to joining LuminUltra, he worked for several years as a consulting engineer, where he helped solve complex water and wastewater treatment process issues. He has a particular interest in water system corrosion. During his Master’s, his research focused on water quality and corrosion in premise plumbing. Brad enjoys being outdoors, spending as many weekends as possible camping, hiking, and cycling.

Using Wastewater to Detect SARS-CoV-2

New details about SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, seem to emerge daily.  Expanded Testing Requirements A concerning but important finding is that viable virus can be recovered from pre-symptomatic individuals several days before symptoms appear – as well as from asymptomatic individuals.  This highlights the need for effective surveillance and contact tracing programs, which include identifying and testing asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic individuals, to prevent further spread.   While contact tracing will always require clinical testing for… Read More

A Primer On Legionella

A Synopsis on Legionella Legionella, the bacteria responsible for causing Legionnaire’s disease, is one of the most significant sources of waterborne disease outbreaks in the U.S. Investigations by the CDC have indicated that many cases could have been prevented through better water management. We’ve previously written about Legionnaire’s disease and how ATP testing can be… Read More

Bug Bottles vs qPCR – What’s the Difference?

What are ‘Bug Bottles’? As highlighted in a previous blog, microbes can cause a range of microbiological problems in oil and gas extraction processes. By controlling microbial growth, operators can prevent issues such as: plugging, flow-reduction, reservoir souring and costly microbially influenced corrosion. Various methods are available for monitoring levels of problematic groups of bacteria,… Read More

Takeaways from AWWA’s ACE19

Last month I attended the American Water Works Association’s Annual Conference and Exhibition in Denver. There was a lot to learn with so many technical presentations, workshops, and trade show booths, so I figured I would highlight some of my key takeaways from the conference. 1. Top Trend Given the size of the conference,… Read More

The Benefits of 2nd Generation ATP for a Manager

In a previous post, we described some of the ways that LuminUltra’s 2nd Generation ATP testing can be used to help operators and field technicians by delivering rapid microbiological water quality data for immediate action. In this entry, we look at how it can be used to help supervisors and managers better allocate their resources,… Read More

Why it’s important to measure backgrounds in ATP samples

For those familiar with 2nd Generation ATP testing, it’s clear that the luminometer is a critical piece of equipment in the testing procedure. It allows us to quantify ATP by measuring the light produced through the reaction of ATP and the luciferin-luciferase based enzyme – just like the way light is produced in a firefly’s… Read More

Not Your Average Filter – Specialized Features of Luminultra’s Quench-Gone Filter

Anyone looking through our line of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) test kits will probably notice one particular item that is included in some methods, but not in others: the Quench-Gone syringe filters. So, what purpose do they serve and why are they only used in some methods? A major advantage of LuminUltra’s 2nd Generation ATP… Read More

Most Wanted Microbes – Pseudomonas

From the editor: This is the 14th post in an ongoing series profiling microorganisms of particular significance in water and wastewater systems. In this series we will cover microorganisms of many types including some that are beneficial, inhibitory and pathogenic. Pseudomonas is a genus of Gram-negative, rod shaped, non-spore forming bacteria. More than 190… Read More

How to Mitigate Biofouling in Your Industrial Process Using 2^nd Generation ATP

Microorganisms can wreak havoc in industrial processes in a number of ways – from slime formation that causes paper breaks and excessive downtime in papermaking facilities, to costly recalls of spoiled final product. Consequently, an effective microbiological control program, which includes accurate and reliable monitoring, is critical for maintaining an efficient process and final… Read More

No Grey Area to This Issue: Slimes of All Colours Can Cause Costly Problems in Papermaking Processes

Pink, orange, red, brown and grey – paper mill slimes can come in an endless range of colours. What contributes to these variances in colour? Microorganisms. Different species – which live within a slime – produce different hues. Unfortunately, you won’t find gold at the end of that rainbow. In fact, it’s quite the… Read More

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