Naturvetenskap och tillämpad vetenskap

This document specifies general requirements for the competence, impartiality and consistent operation of biobanks including quality control requirements to ensure biological material and data collections of appropriate quality. This document is applicable to all organizations performing biobanking, including biobanking of biological material from multicellular organisms (e.g. human, animal, fungus and plant) and microorganisms for research and development. Biobank users, regulatory authorities, organizations and schemes using peer-assessment, accreditation bodies, and others can also use this document in confirming or recognizing the competence of biobanks. This document does not apply to biological material intended for therapeutic use. NOTE 1 International, national or regional regulations or requirements can also apply to specific topics covered in this document. NOTE 2 For entities handling human materials procured and used for diagnostic and treatment purposes ISO 15189 and other clinical standards are intended to apply first and foremost.

This document describes a highly specific method for the enumeration of Escherichia coli (E. coli) in water. The method is based on membrane filtration, subsequent culture at 44 °C on a chromogenic agar medium containing a chromogenic ingredient for the detection of the enzyme ß-glucuronidase, and calculation of the number of target organisms in the sample. Because of the high specificity of the method, this document is suitable for waters with high levels of background bacteria, such as surface waters including bathing water and wastewater. E. coli strains which do not grow at 44 °C and those that are β-glucuronidase negative, such as E. coli O157, will not be detected as E. coli by this method.