Environmental Monitoring

• A minimum of 100 ml of water should be collected in a sterile manner. Place the water in a whirl-pak with sodium thiosulfate for chlorine neutralization. The water sample can be collected into a sterile container without thiosulfate.
• Samples are filtered to remove gross particulate matter. Then aliquots are placed in broth and on agar for culture. This will usually determine the presence of bacterial contamination, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, E. coli, streptococci, staphylococci, Pasteurella multocida, Salmonella sp. and Shigella sp.
• Using the membrane filtration technique, a standard coliform plate count is also performed for water monitoring. If Campylobacter or leptospirosis is suspected, additional testing for these organisms are available on request.

• A representative 30 gram sample should be placed in saran wrap or a container and sent to RRDA.
• Food samples are checked for total bacteria, coliforms, molds and yeasts using standard procedures.

• It is best to use sterile culturettes which provide a transport medium for the collection of samples. Prior to collecting a sample, moisten the swab with the transport medium. This may entail breaking a capsule in the transport tube.
• With the moistened swab, roll or rub the swab over the area to be tested. Then place the swab carefully back in the transport tube, seal well, label with the site tested and the date.
• Forward the samples to RRDA as soon as possible. Transport medium only maintains bacteria but does not promote growth.