H2S Test Medium (1 pack contains 10 bottles)

Principle and Interpretation

The importance of clean water for health has long been recognized. Yet it is still a problem around the world. Human faecal contamination is one of the major reason for water borne diseases. WHO has recommended regular monitoning of drinking water samples for the absence of thermotolerant coliforms in addtion to absence of E. coli (1). Coliform bacteria may not be adequate as sole indicator of recent faecal contamination since, it has been studied that there is no co-relation between coliform and presence of Salmonella species in water, in tropics (2, 3). The analysis of Salmonella by routine culture method is a lengthy process requiring 3-4 days. However K019 – H2S Test Medium Kit is a rapid, portable and reliable field testing kit for drinking water, prepared as per DRDO formulation. This kit can detect Salmonella serotype Typhimurium and Citrobactor freundii on the basis of prodution of hydrogen sulphide (4), even in the absence of coliform. The medium is rich in growth factors and nitrogen source. Presence of cystein makes the medium more sensitive and the test less time consuming for detection of Salmonella serotype Typhimurium and Citrobactor freundii (5). H2S test medium has ferric salts which are reduced by certain species of enteric organisms to H2S. This medium is also sufficiently buffered and made selective against growth of gram-positive organisms.