Method of concentrating and measuring unicellular organisms.

摘要

A method of concentrating and measuring unicellular organism content of a sample is described. The unicellular organism containing sample is first filtered through a filter membrane impermeable to the organism to concentrate and collect the cells on the filter membrane. The membrane containing the concentrated cells is then sequentially treated (1) with a lysing agent to lyse the cells releasing the adenosine triphosphate in the cells and (2) with a luminescent reagent which reacts with the released adenosine triphosphate contained on the filter to produce light. Without significant effect by the filter membrane, the light produced on the membrane is then measured on a luminometer. Not only does this method provide an accurate way of detecting very minute quantities of cells, but it provides a relatively quick and easy method of concentrating and measuring cells in large volumes of biological or industrial liquid samples which contain low levels of organisms.