{"id":9947,"date":"2025-03-01T14:01:37","date_gmt":"2025-03-01T19:01:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/bactlab\/"},"modified":"2025-03-02T00:41:08","modified_gmt":"2025-03-02T05:41:08","slug":"bactlab","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/lab\/bactlab\/","title":{"rendered":"lab\/bactlab ~  Bacteriological Laboratory  &#8211; Delaware Health and Social Services &#8211; State of Delaware"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-swiftype-index=\"true\">\n\n\n\n\n\n  <br>\n\n\n  \n\n\n  <div class=\"container\" id=\"main_header\">\n\n\n    <!-- BEGIN readspeaker div -->\n\n\n    <div class=\"rs_skip rsbtn rs_preserve\" id=\"readspeaker_button1\">\n\n\n      <a accesskey=\"L\" class=\"rsbtn_play\" href=\"https:\/\/app-na.readspeaker.com\/cgi-bin\/rsent?customerid=7262&#038;lang=en_us&#038;readid=main_content&#038;url=https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/lab\/bactlab.html\" title=\"Listen to this page using ReadSpeaker\">\n\n\n        <span class=\"rsbtn_left rsimg rspart\"><span class=\"rsbtn_text\"><span>Listen<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n\n\n        <span class=\"rsbtn_right rsimg rsplay rspart\"><\/span>\n\n\n      <\/a>\n\n\n    <\/div>\n\n\n    <!-- END readspeaker div -->\n\n\n\n\n\n    \n\n\n    <header class=\"pull-left\">\n\n\n      <h1><!--[type=EDIT name=\"Page Title\"]-->Bacteriological Laboratory<!--[END]--><\/h1>\n\n\n    <\/header>\n\n\n  <\/div><br>\n\n\n \n\n\n  <div class=\"container\">\n\n\n    <div class=\"row\">\n\n\n      <div class=\"col-md-3\" id=\"leftCol\">\n\n\n        <div class=\"panel-group\" id=\"accordion\">\n\n\n          <div class=\"panel sectionmenu_panel\">\n\n\n            <div class=\"panel-heading\">\n\n\n              <p class=\"panel-title\"><a class=\"agency_nav\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapseOne\"><strong><i class=\"fa fa-align-justify fa-fw\"><\/i> Public Health Menu<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n            <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n            <div class=\"panel-collapse collapse in\" id=\"collapseOne\">\n\n\n              <div class=\"panel-body\" id=\"clf_nav\">\n\n\n                  <ul class=\"nav nav-stacked nav-pills-clf\" id=\"agency_sidebar\">\n    <li><a href=\"\/dph\/\"><h2>Home <i class=\"fa fa-home fa-fw\"><\/i><\/h2><\/a><\/li>\n    <li class=\"toplevel\"><a data-parent=\"#agency_sidebar\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#HomeMenu\"><h2>About <i class=\"fa fa-caret-right fa-fw\"><\/i><\/h2><\/a>\n      <ul class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"HomeMenu\">\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/about.html\">About DPH<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/sections.html\">Sections &#038; 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Wellness<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/hsp\/healthyhomes.html\">Healthy Homes<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/hsp\/healthywp.html\">Healthy Workplaces<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/lab\/labs.html\">Laboratory<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/hsp\/feir.html\">Restaurant Inspections<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/screen.html\">Screening and Testing<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/chca\/dphwichominf01.html\">WIC<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/servicesadd.html\">Additional Services<\/a><\/li><li>\n      <\/li><\/ul>\n    <\/li>\n    <li class=\"toplevel\"><a data-parent=\"#sidebar\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#InformationMenu\"><h2>Information <i class=\"fa fa-caret-right fa-fw\"><\/i><\/h2><\/a>\n        <ul class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"InformationMenu\">\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/factsheetsaz.html\">A-Z Fact Sheets<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/pubreportsaz.html\">A-Z Publications &#038; Reports<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/diseasesandconditions.html\">Diseases &#038; Conditions<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/faq.html\">FAQ&#8217;s<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/php\/alerts.html\">Health Alerts<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/healthylifestyles.html\">Healthy Lifestyles<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/hipaa.html\">HIPAA<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/regs.html\">Regulations<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/forms.html\">Request Forms<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/links.html\">Links &#038; Resources<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"http:\/\/delaware.gov\/help\/foia_request.shtml\">FOIA Request Form<\/a><\/li>\n      <\/ul>\n    <\/li>\n    <li><a id=\"SocialMenuHeader\"><h2>Connect <i class=\"fa fa-thumbs-o-up fa-fw\"><\/i><\/h2><\/a>\n      <ul id=\"SocialMenu\">\n        <li class=\"facebook\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/DEPublicHealth\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Division of Public Health Facebook Page\"><i class=\"fa fa-facebook-square fa-lg\"><\/i> Facebook<\/a><\/li>\n        <li class=\"twitter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Delaware_DHSS\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Delaware Health and Social Services Twitter Account\"><i class=\"fa fa-twitter-square fa-lg\"><\/i> Twitter<\/a><\/li>\n        <!-- <li class=\"googleplus\"><a href=\"#\"><i class=\"fa fa-google-plus-square fa-lg\"><\/i> Google +<\/a><\/li>\n        <li class=\"flickr\"><a href=\"#\"><i class=\"fa fa-flickr fa-lg\"><\/i> Flickr<\/a><\/li>\n        <li class=\"youtube\"><a href=\"#\"><i class=\"fa fa-youtube-square fa-lg\"><\/i> Youtube<\/a><\/li>\n        <li class=\"instagram\"><a href=\"#\"><i class=\"fa fa-instagram fa-lg\"><\/i> Instagram<\/a><\/li>\n        <li class=\"linkedin\"><a href=\"#\"><i class=\"fa fa-linkedin-square fa-lg\"><\/i> Linkedin<\/a><\/li>\n        <li class=\"pinterest\"><a href=\"#\"><i class=\"fa fa-pinterest-square fa-lg\"><\/i> Pinterest<\/a><\/li> -->\n      <\/ul>\n    <\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n\n\n              <\/div>\n\n\n            <\/div>\n\n\n          <\/div>\n\n\n        <\/div><br>\n\n\n      <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n      <div class=\"col-md-9\" id=\"main_content\"> \n\n\n  <!--[type=HTMLEDIT name=\"Content\"]-->\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<!-- Google Translate Element BEGIN -->\n\n\n\n\n\n\n            <div id=\"google_translate_element\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n                <script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\n\n\n\n\n\n                    function googleTranslateElementInit() {\n\n\n\n\n\n\n                    new google.translate.TranslateElement({pageLanguage: 'en'}, 'google_translate_element');\n\n\n\n\n\n\n}\n\n\n\n\n\n\n                <\/script>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n                <script src=\"\/\/translate.google.com\/translate_a\/element.js?cb=googleTranslateElementInit\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\/**\/<\/script><br>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n            <!-- Google Translate Element END -->\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p class=\"text-center\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Photos of Water Samples.\" class=\"img-thumbnail img-responsive\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/dph\/img\/bactbanner.jpg\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>The Water Microbiology Section of the Environmental Lab performs bacteriological analyses on water samples submitted by water system collectors, Office of Drinking Water, and private citizens for well water analysis.  The Section examines for the presence of indicator organisms and pathogenic bacteria that maybe present in public and private drinking water samples. Testing methods used for presence\/absence and quantitation are from Environmental Protection Agency approved methods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Delaware Public Health Laboratory (DPHL) utilizes the Enzyme Substrate Test method for the presence\/absence of total coliforms, using proprietary Defined Substrate Technology (DST) to simultaneously detect total coliforms and <em>E. coli.<\/em> Two nutrient-indicators, ONPG and MUG, are the major sources of carbon in the media and can be metabolized by the coliform enzyme \u03b2-galactosidase and the <em>E. coli<\/em> enzyme \u03b2-glucuronidase, respectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAs coliforms grow in the test, they use \u03b2-galactosidase to metabolize ortho-Nitrophenyl-\u03b2-galactoside (ONPG) and change it from colorless to yellow. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p><p class=\"text-left\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Environmental Bacteriology.\" class=\"img-thumbnail img-responsive\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/dph\/img\/bact_4.jpg\"><\/p><p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<em>E. coli<\/em> use \u03b2-glucuronidase to metabolize  beta-Glucuronidase (MUG) and create fluorescence. Since most non-coliforms do not have these enzymes, they are unable to grow and interfere. The few non-coliforms that do have these enzymes are selectively suppressed by the test&#8217;s specifically formulated matrix.<\/p><p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p><p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p><p class=\"text-left\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Environmental Bacteriology.\" class=\"img-thumbnail img-responsive\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/dph\/img\/bact_5.jpg\"><\/p><p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p><p>This approach is different from traditional media, which provide a nutrient-rich environment that supports the growth of both target organisms and nontargets. When nontargets grow and mimic target organisms, false positives occur. Growth of nontargets can also suppress target organisms and give report as false negative in traditional media. To suppress nontargets, traditional media often include high levels of salts, detergents, or other selective agents that may inadvertently suppress target organisms and give further false negatives.*<\/p><p>DPHL also utilizes Legiolert test to detect <i>Legionella pneumophila<\/i> in samples. Like the coliform method, bacterial enzyme detection technology signals the presence of <i>Legionella pneumophila<\/i> through the utilization of a substrate present in the reagent. Actively growing strains of <i>Legionella pneumophila<\/i> use the added substrate to produce a brown color indicator that signals the presence of <i>Legionella pneumophila<\/i> at 1 organism in 100 mL within 7 days. * <\/p><p>Public water system reports are submitted to the Office of Drinking Water. Private well sample reports are submitted to Health Systems Protection who will in turn mail the report and \n\n\n\n\n\n\nremediation brochure to the customer. As an EPA State Primacy Water Laboratory, the DPHL is the enforcement authority responsible for ensuring that public water systems comply with the Safe Drinking Water Act. <\/p><p>Division of Public Health offers free private drinking water testing kits in all 3 counties. The kits include one chemistry bottle and one bacteriological bottle, and can be picked up at DPHL, Adams State Service Center, Thomas Collins Building and the Chopin Building. Legionella test kits are now being sold at DPHL Tuesday-Thursday from 8am-4pm.<\/p><p>*Contact DPHL Drinking Water Section for details regarding reference method and reagents used for testing.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p><p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<a href=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/dph\/pdf\/watertestperformed.pdf\">Drinking Water Tests at the Delaware Public Health Laboratory<\/a>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n <\/p><p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/dwanalyticalmethods\/approved-drinking-water-analytical-methods\"> Approved Drinking Water Analytical Methods | Methods Approved to Analyze Drinking Water Samples to Ensure Compliance with Regulations | US EPA<\/a>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p><p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/ground-water-and-drinking-water\/national-primary-drinking-water-regulations\">National Primary Drinking Water Regulations including Maximum Contaminant Levels | Ground Water and Drinking Water | US EPA<\/a>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p><p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/enviro.epa.gov\/envirofacts\/sdwis\/search\/form?state_abbr=DE\">Safe Drinking Water Search for the State of Delaware<\/a>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p><p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/ccl\/types-drinking-water-contaminants\">Types of Drinking Water Contaminants | Drinking Water Contaminant Candidate List (CCL) and Regulatory Determination | US EPA<\/a>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p><p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/dwreginfo\">Drinking Water Requirements for States and Public Water Systems | US EPA<\/a>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p><p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p><p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p><h2>More information about drinking water testing<\/h2><p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<a href=\"\/dph\/hsp\/pubdw.html\"> Public Water Supply<\/a>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p><p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<a href=\"\/dph\/lab\/privdw.html\"> Private Well Owners<\/a>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p><p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<a href=\"\/dph\/hsp\/drinkingwaternotices.html\">Drinking Water Public Notices<\/a>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p><p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<a href=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/dph\/pdf\/prvtwatertestforms.pdf\"> Private Drinking Water Forms<\/a>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p><p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<a href=\"\/dph\/epi\/legionnaires.html\">Legionella Detection and Identification<\/a>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p><p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p><p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\nReturn to <a href=\"echem.html\"><b>Environmental Laboratory home<\/b><\/a> page.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p><p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p><p>Return to the <a href=\"labs.html\"><b>Delaware Public Health Laboratory home page<\/b><\/a>.<\/p><p>This page was last updated 3\/24\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p><p class=\"smalltext\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.adobe.com\/products\/acrobat\/readstep2.html\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Download Adobe Acrobat Reader\" height=\"21\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/dhss\/img\/getacro60.gif\" width=\"60\"><\/a> Please note: Some of the files available on this page are in Adobe PDF format which requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.  A free copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader can be downloaded directly from <a href=\"http:\/\/www.adobe.com\/products\/acrobat\/readstep2.html\">Adobe <\/a>. If you are using an assistive technology unable to read Adobe PDF, please either view the corresponding text only version (if available) or visit Adobe&#8217;s <a href=\"http:\/\/access.adobe.com\">Accessibility Tools page<\/a>.<\/p><p>\n  <!--[END]-->\n\n\n  \n\n\n      <\/p><\/div>\n\n\n    <\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><!-- \/container -->\n\n\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Listen Bacteriological Laboratory Public Health Menu Home About About DPH Sections &#038; Programs Office Locations Contact Info Calendar Services A-Z Services Air &#038; Water Quality Birth, Death, &#038; Marriage Records Clinics Health Data &#038; Statistics Emergency Preparedness Health &#038; Wellness Healthy Homes Healthy Workplaces Laboratory Restaurant Inspections Screening and Testing WIC Additional Services Information A-Z [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"parent":9943,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-9947","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9947","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9947"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9947\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11140,"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9947\/revisions\/11140"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9943"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9947"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}