Research Areas > Beach Water Quality > Rapid Indicators
Research Area: Rapid Indicators
California’s beach monitoring programs are the most extensive in the nation, aiming to protect public health among the hundreds of thousands of annual beach visitors. However, the currently used laboratory methods for enumerating indicator bacteria (i.e., multiple tube fermentation, membrane filtration, and chromogenic substrate) require an 18- to 96-hour incubation period, which is too slow to keep pace with changes in bacterial indicator levels in the environment. Recent studies have shown that most sources of contamination are intermittent and last less than one day. Thus, contaminated beaches may remain open while samples are being processed, and return to safe conditions by the time laboratory results become available and warning signs can be posted. New molecular technologies are being tested that would reduce sample processing time, enabling laboratories to obtain results and managers to post or remove warnings or closures the same day. Faster sample processing would also make it easier to track unknown sources of microbiological contamination.
SCCWRP Research
SCCWRP partners with other scientists to research new candidate methods for measuring microbial beach water quality based on recent advances in molecular biology and immunochemistry. This includes independent testing to evaluate whether the new methods produce results equivalent to existing methods. Some of the methods show great promise, but require further refinement and testing.
In addition to these technical activities, SCCWRP has been working with the State, SCCWRP member agencies, and the local public health authorities to lay the groundwork for transitioning rapid methods into application. The SCCWRP Commission formed a “Rapid Methods Task Force” in 2009 to further advance this effort. Staff scientists are engaged in providing support for development of a rollout strategy, training, and outreach. To provide more data on the relationship of rapid methods with health risk, these tests have also been integrated into SCCWRP’s southern California epidemiology studies.
SCCWRP’s rapid indicator research projects include:
This page was last updated on: 7/7/2010