Drinking water quality testing equipment

Abstract

To provide a water quality inspection instrument capable of preferably achieving, preservation property, transport property, portability, in inspection of coliform bacillus and coliform group by a specific enzyme substrate medium method, facilitating also waste treatment after inspection, and reducing time and labor required for inspection.SOLUTION: A water quality inspection instrument is formed of an inspection bag 10 which is formed in a sealed bag shape by transparent and flexible resin film materials 12, 14, 16, a chuck tape 32 is attached to a bag center side of an opening tearing scheduled line 30 in the vicinity of an upper end part, and in parallel to the opening tearing scheduled line, and in a storage part 38, 100 ml of test water can be injected. In the storage part of the inspection bag, there are sealed, a sodium thiosulfate agent 44, and a packaged small bag 46 including a required amount of a color producing enzyme substrate medium component required for inspecting the 100 ml of test water, with a small amount of water and being sealed, the packaged small bag being torn by pressing force applied to an external surface thereby the liquid including the color producing enzyme substrate medium component, outflows from the packaged small bag.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for testing the quality of drinking water such as tap water, and more particularly to a drinking water quality testing device for testing whether or not Escherichia coli (E. coli) and coliform bacteria are present in drinking water. [Background technology]

[0002] Water quality testing of drinking water, such as tap water, water from a water source, and well water, is conducted in accordance with the "Methods Established by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare Based on the Provisions of the Ministerial Ordinance Concerning Water Quality Standards, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Notification No. 261," and testing for E. coli is conducted using the specific enzyme substrate medium method set forth in Appendix 2 of that Notification. This method involves culturing the test water in a medium such as pyruvate-supplemented XGal-MUG medium or MMO-MUG medium, and visually checking for the presence or absence of color or fluorescence in the medium, which is produced by enzymes specifically possessed and produced by E. coli and coliform bacteria that break down chromogenic enzyme substrates such as XGal and MUG, to determine whether E. coli and coliform bacteria are present in the test water. In view of the problems with testing methods using pyruvate-supplemented XGal-MUG medium or MMO-MUG medium, a method has been proposed for detecting E. coli and coliform bacteria with high sensitivity and simple operation in a short time by using a combination of specific medium components, specific colorable substrates or fluorescent substrates, and specific Good's buffer (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Also, development has been carried out on a coliform bacteria determination device that automates each step in the specific enzyme substrate medium method and automatically determines whether or not coliform bacteria are present in a test sample (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

[0003] When testing for E. coli and coliform bacteria by the specific enzyme substrate medium method manually, the procedure is as follows: Sodium thiosulfate for chlorine removal is added to a water sample bottle at a ratio of 0.02g to 0.05g per 100ml of sample water, and 100ml of sample water is then collected in the sample bottle. The amount of medium needed to test the 100ml sample, such as pyruvate-supplemented XGal-MUG medium, is placed in a test container, and 100ml of sample water is added to the medium. The test container is immediately capped and sealed, and the test container is shaken to dissolve and mix the medium. The test container is then placed in an incubator and incubated for 24 hours. After incubation, the medium is visually observed, and a bluish-green to blue color indicates a positive result for coliform bacteria (presence of coliform bacteria). Furthermore, the medium is irradiated with 366nm ultraviolet light using an ultraviolet lamp to check for fluorescence. A fluorescence stronger than that of the corresponding colorimetric solution indicates a positive result for E. coli (presence of E. coli), while a fluorescence weaker than that of the colorimetric solution indicates a negative result for E. coli (absence of E. coli). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4331582 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-229655 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Manual testing for E. coli and coliform bacteria using the specific enzyme substrate medium method requires the preparation of test containers with sealable lids. However, these containers are bulky and require space for storage and transportation, making them inconvenient to carry, resulting in poor work efficiency and increased costs. Furthermore, the test containers and lids used in the test must be discarded, and their bulkiness makes waste disposal difficult. Furthermore, testing water samples containing residual chlorine requires treatment to remove the residual chlorine from the sample. This involves weighing out the required amount of sodium thiosulfate and placing it in a water sampling bottle, collecting the sample water in the bottle, weighing out the required amount of medium and placing it in a test container, and then adding the dechlorinated water to the medium in the test container. This series of operations is time-consuming and labor-intensive.

[0006] This invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide drinking water quality testing equipment that is easy to store, transport, and carry when testing for E. coli and coliform bacteria using the specific enzyme substrate medium method, that is relatively easy to dispose of as waste after use in testing, and that requires little effort and time for testing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, in this invention, a bag is used instead of a container, and all pre-culture treatments can be completed within the bag. That is, the invention of claim 1 is a drinking water quality testing device used to test whether or not Escherichia coli and coliform bacteria are present in drinking water, characterized in that it comprises a test bag formed into a rectangular bag shape with the top, bottom, and both side edges closed using a flexible transparent resin film material, a zipper tape attached near the center of the bag from the planned tear line near the top edge, near the planned tear line for opening, and parallel to the planned tear line for opening, the test bag having a storage section surrounded by the zipper tape, the bottom, and both side edges, which is formed so that it has an internal volume large enough to pour 100 ml of test water into it, 0.02 g to 0.05 g of sodium thiosulfate agent is enclosed inside the storage section of this test bag, and a small pouch formed from a flexible resin film material is sealed inside, containing a chromogenic enzyme substrate medium component in an amount necessary for testing 100 ml of test water together with a small amount of water, and the small pouch is sealed inside, the small pouch being designed to rupture when pressure is applied to the outside, allowing the liquid containing the chromogenic enzyme substrate medium component inside to spill out.

[0008] The invention of claim 2 is characterized in that, in the testing equipment described in claim 1, two pieces of body resin film material are overlapped, and a bottom resin film material is folded in half and inserted into the lower part of the two body resin film materials with the folded part facing inward, and the upper edge portions and both side edge portions of the two body resin film materials, as well as the lower edge portions of each body resin film material and the lower edge portions of the folded bottom resin film material are heat-sealed to form a test bag in the form of a standing pouch, and when this test bag is opened and the body is inflated to stand on its own, a marking line is made at the position where the liquid level of the test water will be when 100 ml of test water is poured into the storage part. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] When testing drinking water quality using the testing equipment of claim 1, the test bag is torn along the planned tear-open line near the top of the test bag, the male and female filamentary members of the zipper tape are separated to open the top of the test bag, and 100 ml of test water is poured into the test bag through the top opening. The male and female filamentary members of the zipper tape are then engaged to close the top of the test bag, and the test bag is shaken to dissolve the sodium thiosulfate agent. This operation removes any remaining chlorine in the test water. Next, the inner packaging pouch is pinched from both the front and back of the test bag, applying force to the outer surface of the packaging pouch to rupture it, releasing the liquid containing the chromogenic enzyme substrate medium components. The test bag is then shaken to thoroughly mix the liquid containing the medium components with the test water. After that, following the normal testing procedure, the test bag is left in an incubator and cultured for 24 hours, after which the positive or negative results for E. coli and coliform bacteria are determined. Therefore, using this test substrate reduces the labor required for pre-culture operations in water quality testing and speeds up the process. Furthermore, once testing is complete, the test bag only needs to be sterilized and then discarded, reducing the volume of waste compared to conventional methods and making waste disposal relatively easy. Furthermore, this testing equipment is lightweight and compact, making it easy to store, transport, and carry.

[0010] In the testing equipment of the invention according to claim 2, the body of the opened test bag is inflated to make it stand on its own, and 100 ml of test water can be collected by pouring the test water into the container up to the marked line, thereby eliminating the need to weigh the test water. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view showing an example of an embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the configuration of equipment for testing the quality of drinking water. [Figure 2] 2 is a plan view showing the state in which the vicinity of the upper end of the test bag of the test equipment shown in FIG. 1 has been cut open. [Figure 3] 2 is a side cross-sectional view showing a state in which the test bag of the testing equipment shown in FIG. 1 has been opened and test water has been poured into the container. FIG. [Figure 4] 2 is a side cross-sectional view showing a state in which the upper end of the test bag of the testing equipment shown in FIG. 1 is closed after the test bag is opened and test water is poured into the container. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The drinking water quality testing device shown in Figure 1 has a rectangular test bag 10 made of flexible, non-breathable, non-water-permeable, transparent resin film material, with the top, bottom, and both side edges closed. This test bag 10 is made by overlapping two front and back body resin film materials 12, 14, folding a bottom resin film material 16 in half and inserting it under the two body resin film materials 12, 14 with the folded part facing inward, and thermally bonding the top edges and both side edges of the two body resin film materials 12, 14 to each other, as well as the bottom edges of each body resin film material to the bottom edges of the folded bottom resin film material to each other, so that the test bag is closed by a top edge adhesive part 18, both side adhesive parts 20, 22, and front and back bottom adhesive parts 24, 26, and the four edges are sealed. The test bag 10 has a standing pouch shape that can stand on its own when its body is inflated. Such a standing pouch-shaped test bag 10 is preferable for ease of handling because it can stand on its own, but the manufacturing method and shape of the test bag are not limited to those shown in the illustration. For example, the test bag may be made by overlapping two sheets of resin film, one on top and one on bottom, and thermally bonding the top edges, both side edges, and bottom edges together to form a sealed bag, or by folding a single sheet of resin film and thermally bonding the top edges and both side edges together to form a sealed bag, or by using a gusseted bag with gussets on both sides.

[0013] The test bag 10 has a notch 28 formed near the upper end adhesive portion 18 for tearing the bag surface to open it, and zipper tape 32 is attached near the center of the bag relative to the intended tear line 30 and parallel to the intended tear line 30. The zipper tape 32 is attached by thermally bonding a tape having a male linear member 34 and a tape having a female linear member 36 (see Figure 3) to the inner surfaces of the front and back body resin film materials 12, 14, respectively. The internal space surrounded by this zipper tape 32, the front and back body resin film materials 12, 14, and the bottom resin film material 16 forms the storage section 38. This storage section 38 is formed to have an internal volume large enough to pour 100 ml of test water into it. When the test bag 10 is opened and the body is inflated to stand upright, and 100 ml of test water 40 is poured into the storage section 38 (see Figure 3), a marked line 42 is marked on the surface of the bag at the position corresponding to the liquid level of the test water 40.

[0014] The storage section 38 of the test bag 10 contains 0.02 g to 0.05 g of sodium thiosulfate (pentahydrate) agent 44. The storage section 38 of the test bag 10 also contains a packaging pouch 46 formed into a small pouch from a flexible, breathable and water-impermeable resin film material. The packaging pouch 46 contains the components of a chromogenic enzyme substrate medium, such as a pyruvic acid-added XGal-MUG medium, in an amount necessary for testing 100 ml of water sample, together with a small amount of water, and is sealed. The pyruvic acid-supplemented XGal-MUG medium components contained in the packaging pouch 46 consist of 0.5 g peptone, 0.5 g sodium chloride, 0.1 g sodium pyruvate, 0.1 g potassium nitrate, 0.4 g potassium monohydrogen phosphate, 0.1 g potassium dihydrogen phosphate, 10 mg sodium lauryl sulfate, 10 mg 4-methylumbelliferyl-β-D-glucuronide, 10 mg 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl-β-D-galactopyranoside, and 10 mg isopropyl-1-thio-β-D-galactopyranoside. The packaging pouch 46 is loosely bonded around its periphery so that application of pressure to its exterior allows a portion of the periphery to easily peel off and rupture, releasing the liquid containing the chromogenic enzyme substrate medium components.

[0015] When using this testing device to test for the presence of E. coli and coliform bacteria in drinking water, the test bag 10 is first opened by cutting the bag surface laterally along the planned tear line 30 from the notch 28 formed near the adhesive portion 18 at the top end of the test bag 10, as shown in FIG. 2. Next, as shown in FIG. 3, the male filamentous member 34 and the female filamentous member 36 of the zipper tape 32 are separated to open the top end of the test bag 10. Next, the body of the test bag 10 is inflated to allow it to stand on its own, and test water 40 is poured into the container 38 from the top opening up to the marked line 42. This allows 100 ml of test water to be collected in the test bag 10. Next, as shown in FIG. 4, the male filamentous member 34 and the female filamentous member 36 of the zipper tape 32 are engaged to close the top end of the test bag 10, and the test bag 10 is then shaken to dissolve the sodium thiosulfate agent 44. This operation removes any remaining chlorine from the test water inside the test bag 10. Next, the inner packaging pouch 46 is pinched from both the front and back of the test bag 10, applying force to the outer surface of the packaging pouch 46 to rupture the packaging pouch 46 and spill out the liquid containing the chromogenic enzyme substrate medium components. The test bag 10 is then shaken to thoroughly mix the liquid containing the medium components with the test water 40. This operation creates a chromogenic enzyme substrate medium 48 inside the sealed test bag 10. The test bag 10 is then placed in an incubator and cultured for 24 hours. After the culture, the medium 48 is visually observed through the transparent surface of the test bag 10. If the observation reveals that the medium 48 is blue-green to blue, it is determined to be positive for coliform bacteria (the presence of coliform bacteria). Furthermore, the medium 48 is irradiated with 366 nm ultraviolet light from an ultraviolet lamp through the surface of the test bag 10 to check for the presence or absence of fluorescence. If the fluorescence is stronger than that of the colorimetric liquid corresponding to the culture medium, it is determined to be positive for E. coli (E. coli is present), and if the fluorescence is weaker than that of the colorimetric liquid, it is determined to be negative for E. coli (E. coli is not present). After the test is completed, the test bag 10 is sterilized and then discarded. [Industrial Applicability]

[0016] The testing equipment of the present invention is used to test whether or not E. coli and coliform bacteria are present in drinking water, and the present invention is used in industries that manufacture testing equipment for testing the quality of drinking water. [Explanation of symbols]

[0017] 10 Test Bags 12, 14 Body resin film material 16 Bottom resin film material 18 Upper end adhesive part 20, 22 Adhesion parts on both sides 24, 26 Front and back bottom adhesive parts 28 notches 30 Opening tear line 32 Zipper tape 38 Test bag storage area 40 Water Test 42 Marked line 44 Sodium thiosulfate preparations 46 Packaging sachets 48 Chromogenic Enzyme Substrate Medium

Claims

1. In drinking water quality testing equipment used to test whether or not E. coli and coliform bacteria are present in drinking water, The test bag is made of a flexible, transparent resin film material and is formed into a rectangular bag shape with the top, bottom, and both side edges closed, and a zipper tape is attached near the top edge toward the center of the bag from the planned tear line for opening, and parallel to the planned tear line for opening, and the storage section surrounded by the zipper tape, the bottom, and both side edges is formed so that it has an internal volume large enough to pour 100 ml of test water therein. The drinking water quality testing equipment is characterized in that 0.02 g to 0.05 g of sodium thiosulfate agent is enclosed inside the storage section of the test bag, and a small pouch made of flexible resin film material is sealed inside, containing the amount of chromogenic enzyme substrate culture medium components necessary for testing 100 ml of test water together with a small amount of water, and the pouch is designed to break when pressure is applied to the outside, allowing the liquid containing the chromogenic enzyme substrate culture medium components inside to spill out.

2. The inspection bag includes: The pouch is in the form of a standing pouch formed by overlapping two sheets of body resin film material, folding a bottom resin film material in half and inserting it under the two sheets of body resin film material with the folded part facing inward, and heat-bonding the upper edge portions and both side edge portions of the two sheets of body resin film material to each other, as well as the lower edge portions of each body resin film material and the lower edge portions of the folded bottom resin film material to each other, A drinking water quality testing device as described in claim 1, in which a marking line is placed at the position where the liquid level of the test water will be when the test bag is opened, the body is inflated to make it stand upright, and 100 ml of test water is poured into the storage section.

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