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A rapid, convenient, and highly sensitive method for counting the number of living microorganisms is disclosed, wherein a test solution is filtered through a membrane filter element having a plurarity of hydrophilic sections separated from each other by hydrophobic partitions. A microparticulate spr

A rapid, convenient, and highly sensitive method for counting the number of living microorganisms is disclosed, wherein a test solution is filtered through a membrane filter element having a plurarity of hydrophilic sections separated from each other by hydrophobic partitions. A microparticulate spray is then applied to the filter in order to add extracting and luminescence-inducing reagents in such an amount that allows the filter membrane within each section to become wet. Further, the sample obtained is processed by applying a highly sensitive luminescence image analyzing system thereto. The employment of a spray method for applying the extracting and luminescence-inducing reagents allows entrapment of the reagents and extracted substances within each of the hydrophilic sections. Therefore, when combined with the use of a luminescence image analyzing system, the number of bright spots so produced of which represent the living microorganisms may be rapidly counted without the requirement of cultivation.

대표청구항 ▼

A method for counting the number of living microorganisms in a test solution which comprises: filtering said solution through a membrane filter element having a plurality of hydrophilic membrane filter sections substantially surrounded by a plurality of hydrophobic partitions, so that said living mi

A method for counting the number of living microorganisms in a test solution which comprises: filtering said solution through a membrane filter element having a plurality of hydrophilic membrane filter sections substantially surrounded by a plurality of hydrophobic partitions, so that said living microorganisms contained in said solution are entrapped within said sections; drying said membrane filter element; spraying an ATP extracting reagent over said membrane filter element to extract ATP of said living microorganisms entrapped within said sections; spraying a luminescence-inducing reagent over said membrane filter element to allow said luminescent reagent to emit luminescence within said sections; displaying said emitted luminescence as a bright spot, using a luminescence image analyzing system; and counting the number of said bright spots wherein the number of said bright spots represents the number of living microorganisms in said test solution.