Comparisons were made between culture and molecular analytical methodologies of Enterococcus bacteria from water samples collected in western Broward County, Florida. Samples were collected monthly at 9 sites from May through July 2015. Cultures were prepared by membrane filtration EPA Method 1600 on the day of collection. Aliquots ranging from 300 to 900 mL were filtered through a 0.45 um membrane filter and analyzed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Results of colony forming units (cfu) and genome copies of target DNA (gDNA) were compared by analysis of variance (ANOVA) and regression analysis. Using log transformed data, results from regression analysis show a positive correlation between methods (r = 0.49). ANOVA analysis was performed with log transformed cfu and gDNA values to test the null hypothesis that means for both methods were equal. A comparison between methods for all data points show that the overall results are statistically significant with a p value -8). Monthly comparisons made between methods also show that results are statistically significant with a p value -4, July p = 0.02). Although both methodologies are used to determine the amount of enterococci present in a sample, this test rejects the null hypothesis that the values achieved by both methods are equal.
| Date of Award | Dec 9 2015 |
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| Original language | English |
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| Supervisor | Donald McCorquodale (Supervisor) & George Duncan (Advisor) |
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