Using Coliscan Media

Coliscan media incorporate a patented combination of color-producing chemicals and nutrients that mark coliforms and E. coli in differing colors for easy identification and isolation. This means that a test sample of water or other material may be added to the medium, and coliform bacteria will grow as pink-magenta colonies while E. coli will grow as purple-blue colonies. Other bacterial types will generally grow as non-colored colonies. There are two approaches to the Coliscan method: Coliscan Easygel and Coliscan-MF.

Coliscan Easygel is ideal when a sample size of 1-5 mL is appropriate, such as the testing of river water or other samples where there is generally a sizable population of coliforms and/or E. coli. The sample can be added directly into the bottle of Coliscan Easygel, swirled, poured into a pretreated petri dish and incubated. Incubation temperature is not critical, and under warm conditions (32 - 37°C) the results can be read in 24-28 hours.
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Coliscan-MF is for use with membrane filters, and it allows the use of much larger test samples of any filterable liquid. This method is commonly used with potable water or treated wastewater that contains a low level of coliforms or E. coli . With this approach, the sample is filtered through a membrane filter. After the bacteria are collected on the surface of the filter, it is placed on a pad saturated with Coliscan-MF liquid medium in a petri dish. The colonies grow on the surface of the filter and are then counted.
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Coliscan media are available as individual test units or in kits. See the product catalog for all purchase options.