Comparison of Colilert with Dutch standard enumeration methods for Escherichia coli and total coliforms in water

Abstract

The average recovery of Escherichia coli with Colilert was 26% (range 12–42%) and that for coliforms was 35% (range 4–140%, when compared with Dutch standard methods. In samples with low numbers of target organisms, Colilert gave false-negative results and was therefore regarded as an unsuitable alternative for Dutch standard methods.