Name: Nicolas Rey Section: 03

Worksheet Lab 8: Water lab

Most Probable Number Results

Table 1: Most probable number results of an ornamental pond water sample 3 marks

Sample volume Number of positive tubes

10 ml 5
1 ml 3
0.1 ml 3

a) Most probable number: 5-3-3 CFU/ml: 18 CFU/ml, 180 CFU/ml, 1800 CFU/ml

Table 2: Confirmation tests for MPN 5 marks

Sample type BGLB EMB

Water sample + +

b) Did the tests confirm that your sample had coliforms? Explain.

Yes, because the gas production confirmed positive.

c) Did the tests confirm that your sample had E. coli? Explain.

Yes, the presence of E. coli with a dark green color.

Membrane Filtration Results

Table 3: Membrane filtration results of an ornamental pond water sample 2 marks

Plate Total coliform E. coli CFU/plate Total coliforms: E. coli CFU/ml

CFU/plate CFU/ml
1 (100 ml) 95 TNTC 0.95
2 (10 ml) 67 86 6.7 8.6
Show your work to calculate CFU/ml on another page.

95 CFU / 100 ml = 0.95 CFU/ml

67 CFU/10 ml = 6.7 CFU/ml

86 CFU/10 ml = 8 .6 CFU/ml

1
 d) How to the two methods (MPN and membrane filtration) compare in terms of
CFU/ml of coliforms and E. coli?

The CFU/ml in the MPN method is greater than the CFU/ml in membrane filtration, this
could be because the results in the MPN method are less accurate that the ones in
membrane filtration.

e) Which test is more reliable, MPN or membrane filtration? Why?

Membrane filtration its more reliable, because its easer to count the colonies in the agar.