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EPA Method 1615 provides culture and molecular procedures for detecting human enteroviruses, human noroviruses, and mammalian orthoreovirus (culture procedure only) in water.  The cell culture procedure detects enterovirus and orthoreovirus species that are capable of infecting and producing cytopathic effects (CPE) in the Buffalo green monkey kidney (BGM) cell line.  The molecular procedure incorporated into EPA Method 1615 detects the noroviruses and enteroviruses, including those enteroviruses that do not replicate on BGM cells.  The molecular procedures in Method 1615 can detect and quantify Noroviruses G1A, G1B, and GII in water.  However, it should be noted that a positive result indicates the presence of viral nucleic acid and not the infectivity status of the detected virus.

 

Scientific Methods was selected as one of 5 laboratories to participate in UCMR3 microbiological monitoring supported by the USEPA, and given high scores for project performance evaluations. We have also applied Method 1615 successfully for a client who evaluated different wastewater treatments.  The sampling volume is from 100 L to 1500 L, depending on the matrix and the purpose (contact us and we will give you the correct volumes to be sampled for your project).  Sample matrices can include ground water, ground water under the influence of surface water, drinking water, surface water or treated wastewater.

 

Scientific Methods will provide a sampling kit with a virus filter, sampling instruction sheet, and an injector if chlorinated water will be collected.