Laboratory analysis: Detection of filamentous bacteria
Identification and quantification of nocardioform actinomycetes with our VIT® Nocardia test kit. The group of nocardioform actinomycetes is feared as the cause of bulking and floating sludge in municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plants. Conventionally, only the typically branched filamentous nocardioform actinomycetes can be detected, while the equally dangerous types that occur in single cells usually remain undetected. All variants are reliably detected and quantified with the gene probes.
The results are reported as values according to the VIT® key. The report contains information on the control strategy and informative photo documentation that visualizes the nocardioform actinomycetes in the wastewater sample.
Qualitative or quantitative detection?
Semi-quantitative detection
How is the analysis carried out?
Using the reliable VIT® gene probe technology.
What are the requirements for the sample to be sent in?
Please request our simple fixation protocol for sampling wastewater samples and fix/stabilize your sample according to this procedure prior to shipment.
Your Advantages
VIT® technology enables the targeted detection of individual microorganisms at population, genus or species level. The use of highly specific, rRNA-based gene probes ensures clear identification of the target organism directly in the sample.
The technology enables direct quantification of the target organisms in the sample. With the VIT® Vision software, the population development of filamentous organisms such as Microthrix parvicella or Nostocoida limicola II can be tracked and reliably monitored over time. In this way, even slight changes in the density of these filamentous bacteria become visible even before the first abnormalities such as bulking or floating sludge appear. This allows proactive intervention - for example through targeted process adjustment or targeted chemical use - even before extensive chemical dosing becomes necessary. As a result, chemical quantities can be reduced, operating costs lowered and the stability of the wastewater treatment plant process ensured in the long term.
The analysis is carried out without complex sample purification or enrichment: the microorganisms are hybridized directly in activated sludge or other environmental samples and then evaluated microscopically. This preserves the natural matrix - a major advantage over methods based on cell isolation or DNA extraction.
The VIT® gene probes hybridize only with intact, metabolically active cells, as only these have sufficient amounts of ribosomal RNA. This means that only living nocardioform actinomycetes are detected, while dead or inactive cells are excluded.
In contrast, PCR only detects DNA, regardless of whether the cell is alive or dead. This means that dead cells can also be detected in PCR analyses, which can lead to a considerable overestimation of the actual biological activity - particularly problematic in processes such as nitrification, where the functional potential is crucial.
Depending on the setup, it only takes a few hours from sample extraction to analysis. The hybridization is standardized, the analysis is performed by fluorescence microscopy and can also be carried out on site in routine environments. The evaluation and subsequent quantification can be carried out easily with the help of the VIT® Vision software.
The test kits are user-friendly and can be integrated into existing laboratory procedures with minimal training. Detection is carried out using fluorescence microscopy and does not require complex equipment or special software solutions. This makes the method particularly robust and user-independent.
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