Question

After drinking water at school, some students become ill. Describe a test for determining if your school's water supply is contaminated with bacteria, and explain how the results of the test are to be interpreted.

Answer 1

Answer:

Membrane-based tests are the most quantitatively accurate. In general, a 100 mL water sample is forced or vacuumed through a small, round filter paper (the membrane) using a little hand pump. All the bacteria in the sample are caught on the filter as the water passes through.

Answer 2

Explanation:

Coliform bacteria are organisms that are present in the environment and in the feces of all warm-blooded animals and humans. Coliform bacteria will not likely cause illness. However, their presence in drinking water indicates that disease-causing organisms (pathogens) could be in the water system.