Rapid enumeration of Salmonella in environmental waters and wastewater

We have incorporated an enzyme-linked fluorescent immunoassay technique into the conventional multiple-tube analytical procedure to rapidly enumerate Salmonella in environmental waters and wastewater. Fifty-two environmental water and wastewater samples from diverse sources were used in the present study. The concentrations of Salmonella present ranged from 1 to 4.6×103 per l, of which 22 were merely 1 per l. The technique rapidly screened all positive samples (i.e. samples with Salmonella), hence, shortened the enumeration of Salmonella in environmental waters and wastewater from five days to three.