Adapting Enzyme-Based Microbial Water Quality Analysis to Remote Areas in Low-Income Countries

Enzyme–substrate microbial water tests, originally developed for efficiency gains in laboratory settings, are potentially useful for on-site analysis in remote settings. This is especially relevant in developing countries where water quality is a pressing concern and qualified laboratories are rare. We investigated one such method, Colisure, first for sensitivity to incubation temperatures in order to explore alternative incubation techniques appropriate for remote areas, and then in a remote community of Zambia for detection of total coliforms and Escherichia coli in drinking-water samples.