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All you need to know about qPCR
As quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR) becomes more accepted and available to a range of industries looking to quantify their (specific) microbial populations, the ability to provide quick and easy-to-interpret results will be key. The initial development of qPCR assays has been focused on potential human pathogens for use by the medical sector. Now, many… Read More
Impact of Sample Preservation Protocols for Metagenomics Analysis in the Oilfield
The lack of standardized protocols and the remote nature of oilfields are major concerns when it comes to sample preservation to maintain the integrity of the microbial population during transport. Those concerns led Jordan Schmidt, Ph.D., and his team to do a research project where the focus was to discuss a major deficiency with the… Read More
The Story of Your Data
Data gathering and analysis have become crucial across many, if not all, sectors of our economy, including the water sector. If you consider all the components of data analysis you can start to see its potential to positively impact decision making. The overall process of data gathering and analysis generally goes like this: … Read More
Understanding the Ballast Water Fractions
With more than 4,000 different organisms found in a ship’s ballast water tank, it’s no surprise why ballast water monitoring is vital to preventing the spread of these invasive species, and why the International Maritime Organization (IMO) requires that all sizes of ballast organisms are monitored. Known as the three fractions, these organisms are broken… Read More
Solution Highlight: GeneCount NGS Services
Sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene LuminUltra’s GeneCount® Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) service takes microbial monitoring to the “next” level by sequencing the 16S rRNA gene, which is present in all bacteria and archaea. This gene contains sections that allow individual organisms to be differentiated from one another and classified to the genus level. Based… Read More
Exciting Developments in Water Technology
In the field of water science and technology, many exciting new advances have either become commercially viable in recent months or will soon reach that critical milestone. Here are four up-and-coming developments that could eventually have a big impact on some aspect of the world of water. Slippery toilets Every day around the world,… Read More
Facts & Figures of Legionellosis
What causes Legionellosis? Many different types of bacteria can cause respiratory diseases. Ranging in seriousness from Streptococcal pharyngitis (strep throat) to much more deadly pathogens like Mycobacterium tuberculosis or Vibrio cholerae (cholera), bacterial infections of the respiratory tract present a major challenge for health care providers around the world. Tuberculosis alone is estimated to make up to 10 million people per year sick. A serious bacterial… Read More
Four Important Guidelines for Getting the Most out of your Metagenomics Data
Metagenomics is an emerging field. Metagenomics is a quickly evolving field, with new papers being published and new products and services being offered each year. Since metagenomics analysis is a relatively new field in microbiology, standard procedures are still being worked on from different researchers and companies. If results are to be comparable between different research institutions and companies, it… Read More
Test Your Knowledge: Drinking Water & Lead
Drinking water and lead is not a new topic of discussion for us. Recently, we’ve looked at the issue of lead toxicity in municipal drinking water systems. We’ve touched on several recent cases that garnered a lot of media attention, including Flint, Michigan, Montreal, Quebec and Newark, New Jersey. Now that we’ve seen some of the cities where this problem is happening, let’s consider… 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