Dipslides

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Photograph: Bacteria (left) and moulds (right) growing on the ECHA DIPSLIDE.

WHAT IS THE TEST USED FOR?

To determine the total aerobic microbial contamination in aqueous samples.

Dipslides were designed to test water samples. Using them on non aqueous samples will lead to erroneous results.

WHAT IS THE TEST?

The test consists of a plastic slide carrying different nutritive agar gels for culturing microorganisms on opposite sides of the slide. One side has been designed to culture bacteria which grow as visible discrete red colonies when the slide is incubated. The other side of the slide will culture moulds (fuzzy or fluffy colonies) and yeast's (usually white, cream or pink round colonies). The slide is dipped into the fluid to be tested and incubated. The slide appearance is compared to calibration charts.

WHAT CAN I TEST WITH A DIPSLIDE?

• Any aqueous sample
• Surfaces
  

WHAT CAN I NOT TEST?

• Fuel and oil samples (dip-slides will give erratic results if used on fuel and contamination may be missed completely!). To test fuels and oils use MicrobMonitor2
• Dip-slides will not detect corrosion causing anaerobic microbes such as Sulphate Reducing Bacteria. For these use the Sig Sulphide Test

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF USING A DIPSLIDE?

• Dip-slides provide a cost effective method of testing for total aerobic microorganisms on site
• Results are semi quantitative
• Easy to use

WHO CAN USE THE TEST?

Full instructions are supplied and no special training is required to use a Dipslide.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The Dip-slide technology was designed to test aqueous samples. It can also be used to test surfaces and some slide instructions have calibration charts for surfaces. The Dipslide technology works because a specific amount of water (approx 1/50 of a millilitre ) will be adsorbed onto the surface of the slide when it is dipped into water. Other aqueous fluids are often tested using Dip-slides but the actual amount of fluid that is adsorbed onto the slide will probably vary from fluid to fluid; hence Dip-slides may require recalibrating for each fluid type tested. If a non-aqueous sample is tested, e.g. Fuel, the amount of sample that will be absorbed onto the slide is not known but it is known to vary considerably. The MicrobMonitor2 test has been designed to test non-aqueous samples.

ORDERING INFORMATION

Two brands of Dipslides are available:

ECHA Dipslide
Easicult Combi