PMEU - World record in Microbiology

Rapid monitoring of bacterial growth and metabolism with the PMEU Unit from clinical, environmental, food and process industry samples

2010-12-31T05:23:00.000-08:00

THE PRESENTATION OF PMEU TECHNOLOGY AT THE NEW ZEALAND MICROBIOLOGICAL SOCIETY MEETING 2ND OF DECEMBER 2010, AUCKLAND, WITH THE MOTTO “small things, BIG ideas” BY ADJUNCT PROFESSOR ELIAS HAKALEHTO

ABSTRACT

The idea of constructing a cultivator where microbe enrichment could be started on the sampling site has fascinated us for many years. In the PMEU (Portable Microbe Enrichment Unit) one actually intensifies the research on metabolic reactions in a multiplied scale. This equipment also simulates the interactions between different microbes, and it therefore can be used for studying microbial ecosystems.

Sampling in an Austrian hospital during three years from the bile specimens of about 250 patients indicated that coliformic bacteria and fecal enterococci represented around 60% of the microflora in this part of the gastrointestinal tract. The mixed acid fermenting coliformic strains and the neutral end-products producing Klebsiella/Enterobacter group were shown to live in symbiosis in the PMEU cultures implying to their cooperation in the duodenum. This gives an idea how the microbial community maintains intestinal conditions by regulating the pH and other parameters.

The PMEU Spectrion® equipment validated by the State Research Centre of Finland (VTT) has Ethernet connections which make it possible to follow up the microbe enrichment and detection process in real time. The water department field trials are reported. The PMEU can be used to monitor directly both hygiene indicator strains as well as pathogenic bacteria, both in water and in food. A recent report involving the National Institute of Health and Welfare in Finland describes detection of Campylobacter sp. from natural and household waters using the combination of PMEU enrichment and the real time PCR.

In hospital tests at Kuopio University Hospital in Finland, the PMEU Scentrion® gas sensing bacterial cultivator has been validated for the microbiological blood testing of neonatal and cancer patients. The PMEU has also been used for monitoring the development of the microflora after the birth or antibiosis. The enhanced enrichment could be used effectively for improving the recovery of bacterial cells in the detection process.

Biocide testing (KILL tests) with PMEU Spectrion

2010-12-22T22:29:00.000-08:00

PMEU Spectrion ® can be applied as a rapid tool for two types of biocide testing.

GROWTH PREVENTION TEST shows the ability of the biocides to prevent microbial growth in processes. Short detection times (typically under 10 hours) indicate poor or lacking effect of the active compound. Long detection times (over 10 hours) show that the biocide can prevent the microbial growth in the target.

This test can be performed in aerobic, microaerophilic or anaerobic conditions.

Temperature control of PMEU unit allows testing of psycrophilic, mesophilic and thermophilic microorganisms.

Turbidity of the test syringes, caused by microbial growth, will be documented automatically and growth curves will be drawn for every syringe. Detection time
(= the moment of the test, counted from the beginning, when the turbidity has increased by a certain factor) can be seen from these growth curves.

PMEU KILL TEST bases on the biocide-dependent change of microbial count. ATP Assay is the fastest method to detect the quantitative increase and the decrease of microbial cells in the samples and is therefore chosen to assist PMEU biocide testing in cases where both the growth prevention and the death of microbes shall be evaluated.

Results of these two types of biocide tests have a significant correlation.

GROWTH PREVENTION TEST can visualize some microbial processes which cannot be detected with traditional colony count method, eg. it shows the prevention of spore germination to vegetative cells by an effective biocide.

All PMEU Spectrion® methods have one excellent property: they indicate the effects of biocides in the original samples, and recovering effect of colony count methods are totally excluded. The user can focus the attention to the biocidic effects which really take place in the paper machine processes.

Modifications of PMEU biocide testing for biofilm control are also available.

Demonstration of PMEU Spectrion coliform analyses in Tornio, 17th - 18th November 2010.

2010-11-20T22:23:00.000-08:00

Finnish Water and Waste Water Works Association (FIWA) has arranged a conference for the professionals of water and wastewater authorities and salesmen, especially those locating in Northern Finland, in Tornio at the end of November 2010. FIWA's membership includes over 300 Finnish water utilities which cover about 90 % of water services in Finland. In addition FIWA has about 130 collaborating members (companies, institutes, etc.), among them also SAMPLION Ltd.

Rapid, quantitative analyses of coliforms and E.coli, based on COLILERT cultivation (IDEXX, U.S.A.) were demonstrated on the expo stand of SAMPLION Ltd. These methods, also applied to the national POLARIS Project in Finland by SAMPLION Ltd. and BERNER Ltd., have been visualized in the photos above. Yellow color of the cultures indicate coliform growth and E.coli can be detected among other coliforms by its blue fluorescence when illuminated with short-wave UV emission ("Wood's Lamp).

A short, oral presentation concerning the benefits of broth culture analyses (compared to colony count analyses) was held by Key Account Director Juha V.Mentu who also highlights those PMEU Spectrion features which are unique among broth culture methods: speed (which has been achieved with efficient mixing and aeration), alternative gas compositions (for aerobic, microaerophilic and anaerobic microorganisms) and ON LINE growth measuremets from the test syringes, deliverable also in wireless way to the observer of the analyses.

Hygiene Monitoring with the Portable Microbe Enrichment Unit (PMEU)

2010-06-24T02:37:00.000-07:00

Elias Hakalehto, Doc., Ph.D.
Department of Biosciences
University of Eastern Finland
P.O.B. 1627
FI-70211 Kuopio
Finland

Abstract, 41st R3-Symposium of the R3-Nordic Society in Espoo 25.-26.5.2010

The PMEU (Portable Microbe Enrichment Unit) technology (Samplion Oy, Siilinjärvi, Finland) is a microbe cultivation method producing advantageous growth conditions for individual bacterial cells. Therefore, monitoring of bacterial populations and the presence of potential contaminants is optimised in terms of speed and accuracy. Hygienically important isolates of various bacterial strains have been cultivated aerobically, microaerobically or anaerobically using standard broth media by standard PMEU enhanced enrichment technology, or by PMEU Spectrion ® or PMEU Scentrion ® sensored units equipped with optical, IR, or gas sensors. The units were produced by Samplion Oy according to the ISO 9001 accepted protocol. The reference cultivations were carried out using standard microbiological procedures. The PMEU Spectrion ® is being validated by the VTT of Finland. PMEU versions facilitated ultra-fast detection of coliformic bacteria, bacilli, salmonellas, staphylococci, streptococci, campylobacteria and other groups. The PMEU Scentrion ® equipped with gas sensors for volatile organic compounds detected the contaminants at concentrations of bacterial levels around 10-1000 cfu/ml in 2-5 hours. Also the hospital validation studies in Austria and Finland are summarized. Moreover, The PMEU has been demonstrated to help the environmentally stressed cells to recover and become viable in the enrichment cultures. Hygiene sampling was carried out using a specific sampling syringe serving also as an incubator in the PMEU.

Biocide testing with PMEU Spectrion has begun!

2010-06-15T06:34:00.000-07:00

PMEU biocide testing has been available already since the early years of this millenium. This method is based on Basic PMEU and ATP Assay. This combination gives reliable results and has been presented in several articles (last time in Paper and Timber, Nov. 2009).

First, very promising tests with PMEU Spectrion have now started, both in laboratory and in the mills. The picture above shows a typical equipment for mill trials, containing both PMEU Spectrion and ATP Assay tests. PMEU Spectrion measures growth curves of the microbial population (total or selective) automatically and is therefore independent of ATP Assay.

SAMPLION Ltd. will focus on Pulp and Paper biocide tests in August 2010, and samples are very welcome from 2.8.2010 on. More information of this free chance to be familiar with this novel method will be delivered by Microbiologist, Key Account Manager Juha V. Mentu (juha.mentu@samplion.fi) by request.

SAMPLION Ltd. exhibition stand before opening of the congress.

2010-06-04T09:47:00.000-07:00

This picture represents the stand of SAMPLION Ltd. in PulPaper 2010 Congress exhibition on the day before the opening. This event was a success! 5800 visitors on Wednesday, on the "middle day" of the congress!

In addition to the exhibition stand, an oral presentation was given by Key Account Manager (originally paper industry microbiologist) Juha V. Mentu, which will be sent by request.

Environmental Health Conference in Kuopio, Finland, 27.-28.5.2010.

2010-05-27T14:32:00.000-07:00

PMEU Spectrion interested the participants of Environmental Health Conference in Kuopio, Finland. Visitors of exhibition were able to see the selective cultivation of E.coli which can be confirmed by its blue fluorescence when illuminated with "Wood's lamp", emitting UV to the target syringe.

Laboratory Manager Anneli Heitto (left) and Laboratory Engineer Maarit Miskala, both working for FINNOFLAG Ltd, were representing PMEU method in the exhibition. Maarit Miskala also had an oral presentation about the control of swimming waters where PMEU Spectrion significantly helps to collect analytical data faster and with much higher sampling frequence than the traditional laboratory ananlyses.

New SAMPLION website in English is open to visit.

2010-05-24T07:15:00.000-07:00

SAMPLION website has now been translated to English. You are very welcome to visit

www.samplion.fi

where you can find further information about Advantages to users, Results, Equipment, Application areas as well as to find our personnel to contact.

Welcome!

SAMPLION Ltd. joins the international PulPaper Exhibition and Conference at the Helsinki Exhibition & Convention Centre 1.-3.6.2010

2010-05-16T22:23:00.000-07:00

PMEU methods have been applied in paper industry microbiology since 2002 by company's microbiologists. The main facts and procedures of PMEU biocide and biofilm testings have been presented in Paper and Timber, Vol. 91 / No. 7-8 / 2009.

SAMPLION Ltd. will join PulPaper 2010, 1.-3.6.2010, Helsinki as an exhibitor and welcomes You to visit the company's exhibition stand,

6b27

The reference from the webpages of PulPaper tells "The event, organized by Adforum in cooperation with the Paper Engineers’ Association, AEL and The Finnish Fair Corporation will be the largest and most important show for the pulp, paper, board and converting industry worldwide in 2010. Exhibitors and visitors travel from all over the world to take part in this international event. The last PulPaper show in 2007 attracted 16102 visitors from 78 countries!".

A new era in microbiology: back to Pasteur's times!

2010-04-25T03:47:00.000-07:00

The history of microbiology contains several eras with different targets. I will refer them in this way (based on my over 30 years experience as microbiologist and teacher of microbiology and biochemistry):

In the beginning, cultivation and observation of microorganisms was the main target. Doctors like Pasteur and Koch were very innovative and developed intelligent culture medias and vessels to perform very delicate experiments. The everlasting fight against pathogenic microbes was the primary target but Louis Pasteur started to help eg. wine producers to solve their quality problems, caused by microbes.

The combination of microbiology and biochemistry on the second era was very satisfying by solving questions concerning the huge amount of anabolic and catabolic processes included in microbial growth. More and more were also learned in the area of microbial ecology. Questions like "who? what? when? where? how? why?" were partially solved (ref. MADSEN,E.L. 2008. Environmental Microbiology. From Genomes to biochemistry. Blackwell Publishing).

"Third era" can be described by the novel methods to identify bacteria. Biochemical test kits (API etc.) were replaced by Fatty Acide Methylated Ester method (FAME) by Hewlett-Packard on 80's. After it, molecular biology methods, based on ribosomal RNA and DNA, helped to construct the development lines of microorganisms.

Today is the time of new era. We know the "family trees" of bacteria but we should now continue with environmental microbiology and microbial ecology to solve questions like "How, why, by whom and in which conditions will the raw materials of paper industry be biodeteriorated?", "How can we prevent these processes by setting the process conditions unsuitable for those biochemical processes?", "Can we prevent the growth of biofilms and slimes in an ecological way?", "How to prevent selectively the growth of toxin producers like Bacillus cereus in paper and board processes?", how to fight against Legionella in paper industry?".

Names are not the most important thing. Most important is, how the bacteria act in different ecological niches of a paper machine. This work has to be done by using simulations of paper processes which is possible by wet end simulators of research units (as an example: VTT in Jyväskylä, Finland) and laboratory/field instruments (like biofilm detectors in the processes or PMEU incubators by Samplion Ltd.).

The role of PMEU is getting more and more important because this method helps to detect microbial growth of different types (biofilms included) in a very short period of time as well as to test simultaneously the effects of alternative biocides in small-scale tests whose growth parameters match with the growth conditions in the real processes.

We are - and we shall - turn back to the era of Pasteur & Koch: the names are already known, and we shall now investigate, what the contaminating microbes are doing in the industrial processes and how to prevent losses of raw material, machine stops and poor quality of the products by simulating growth processes in small-scale tests, performed in the laboratory or in the field, by the machies themselves.

PMEU applications for water hygiene analyses have been published in "Rakennustarkastuspäivät 2010"

2010-03-27T03:07:00.000-07:00

Novel PMEU water hygiene analyses, intended in the quantitative control of total coliforms, E.coli and enterococci, have been published in "Rakennustarkastuspäivät 2010" Conference, Kuopio, Finland at the end of March. This annual event is dedicated to professionals of building regulations and related administration and collected over 200 participants to the beutiful capital of Savo region, in the middle of Saimaa lake district.

SAMPLION Ltd. was exhibiting PMEU Spectrion and its water hygiene applications, now qualified by VTT, alongside Suomen Jätevesi Ltd. which is the major supplier of small-scale waste water purification systems in Finland.

The picture above demonstrates the combination of selective growth medium and MUG-based UV fluorescence confirmation of E.coli. Among the three PMEU syringes, only the one on the left, containing a culture of E.coli, indicates this fluorescence. This PMEU method is now approved by VTT, Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT-S-01705-10) and it also follows the guidelines of international standardization (SFS-EN ISO 9308-3) to fulfill the needs of rapid, quantitative control of hygiene indicator bacteria.

Detection Time as the Variable in Quantitative Microbe Analyses

2010-03-03T01:41:00.000-08:00

There are several methods to quantify the count of microbes. Historically the very first of them (if microscopy is excluded) was the use of dilutions series in nutrient broths. This methods was later developed to MPN (Most Probable Number) Method, which was the standard until the rise of Colony Count methods. Colony counts give accurate numbers but suffer of the poorer recovery of the microbial cells, compared to the broth methods. It is also unavailable for certain, difficult types of samples.

"Third Generation" of quantitative mb analyses was established some 30 years ago. They are based on analytical methods which give the results much faster than the traditional methods by measuring some chemical or physical features of the samples which are in a relationship with the count (or activity) of microbes of the original samples.

The increase of the nutrient broth turbidity, caused by the growth of microorganisms, is maybe the most common "3rd Generation" method used today. It is an optical method which gives levels of either total growth or specified microbes (in latter case, selective broths with confirmation tests are applied). An inversed corretation between microbial load and detection time (= the moment of the testing period when turbidity begins to rise) can be found and correlation lines/tables between colony counts and detection times are easy to construct.

The figure above is an example of the growth curves, derived by PMEU Spectrion. X axis shows the time scale of the test, y axis indicates the values of RT. This curve shows that PMEU Spectrion actually illustrates the classic growth curves with the lag, log and stat phases (and, if the cultivation will continue long enough, also the kill phase). The moment when the turbidity begins to rise is inversely related to the count of microbes in the original sample.

SAMPLION Ltd. in Finnish Medicine Congress, Helsinki, January 11.-14.2010

2010-01-12T19:33:00.000-08:00

PMEU Spectrion is one of the microbiological analyse devices manufactured by SAMPLION Ltd. It represents a modification of the basic PMEU where the turbidity of the samples, correlating with the microbial growth inside the test syringes, will be automatically measured with LED detection.

Beside the PMEU Spectrion, results of some hospital projects were also presented in the form of a poster.

Use of portable enrichment unit in rapid characterization of infantile intestinal enterobacterial microbiota

2010-01-03T16:52:00.000-08:00

Jouni Pesola‌1,2, Outi Vaarala‌3, Anneli Heitto‌4 & Elias Hakalehto‌4,5
Institute of Clinical Medicine, Pediatrics, University of Kuopio, Kuopio
Department of Pediatrics, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio
National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki
Department of Biosciences, University of Kuopio, Kuopio
Finnoflag Oy, Kuopio and Siilinjärvi, Finland
Correspondence: Jouni Pesola, Department of Pediatrics, Kuopio University Hospital, POB 1777, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland. E-mail: jouni.pesola@kuh.fi

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to develop a practical and efficient method for isolation and characterization of the enterobacterial microbiota of infant fecal samples. It could be used for reliable comparisons between individual microflora in different neonates, and in the follow-up of the succession in the floral developments in various nutritional conditions. Methods: A combination of traditional plate culture and different enrichment procedures carried out in a portable microbe enrichment unit (PMEU) was studied. The strains were isolated by plate culture both before and after enrichment. The isolated strains were identified by biochemical tests and the phenotypes of the isolates were compared by the PhenePlate™ technique. To obtain a picture of the formation of intestinal flora during the first year two follow-up samples were collected at the ages of 3 and 12 months from eight Finnish infants (one girl and seven boys). Results: Altogether 21 and 46 enterobacterial isolates were detected in samples taken at the ages of 3 and 12 months, respectively; 7/21 (33%) and 24/46 (52%) isolates were not detected by direct plating but only after enrichment. This material was supposed to demonstrate the differences between the different methodological approaches. Conclusion: There were age-dependent changes in the species proportions of different subpopulations of Enterobacteriaceae detected from the infantile fecal microbiota at different times. The statistically significant difference in the number of isolations with and without enrichment step suggests that the use of enrichment is highly recommendable and the PMEU equipment and method have now proven suitable for that purpose, at least for screening and monitoring the infant fecal flora. The method offers more representative, quicker, and relatively practical tools for obtaining an overall picture of the enterobacterial microbiota of the fecal samples and its variations, thus also giving an idea of the microbial communities in the gastrointestinal tract.

Fast detection of bacterial growth by using Portable Microbe Enrichment Unit (PMEU) and ChemPro100i® Gas Sensor.

2009-12-13T13:32:00.001-08:00

The series of scientific articles, based on the microbiological research beneficing PMEU methods, continues. The new model of PMEU, "Scentrion", measures the gaseous metabolites, derived from the microbial activity in the sample syringes, and gives therefore the fastest indication of very low contamination levels in only 2..3 hours. PMEU Scentrion is already applied in a Finnish hospital laboratory. It is one of the new PMEU innovations, presented in a short R&D period in 2009 (another is PMEU "Spectrion" where the detection of the microbial growth bases on automatic turbidity measurement - more about it in future posts of this blog).

A short notification of this article follows below (to have more detailled view into the method and results derived with it, please refer the original article, published in June 2009 by Pathophysiology):

"E. Hakalehto, J. Pesola, A. Heitto, B. Bhanj Deo, K. Rissanen, U. Sankilampi, T. Humppi, H. Paakkanen.

Fast Detection of Bacterial Growth by using Portable Microbe Enrichment Unit (PMEU) and ChemPro100i® Gas Sensor.

Pathophysiology 16:1 (2009) 57-62.

PMEU Scentrion gives results in a few hours from the cultures, starting from only single cells per ml to a few hundreds of cells per ml. It is therefore a clear improvement to even PCR methods, which normally require an overnight pre-enrichment to be practically sensitive enough."

A novel training course of the PMEU enrichment and the microscopy of enriched samples in March, 2010.

2009-11-22T11:44:00.000-08:00

The microbiological microscopy courses by FINN-FIBER Ltd. have been very popular ones over years. Participants of this annual course learn the basics of light and UV epifluorescence microscopy, isolate microbes from the samples and document the results with digital microphotography into the form of PowerPoint reports.

A novel course, containing PMEU enrichments in the beginning of this 3-day course, is under planning on these days. Four teachers - every one is a specialist on her/his area of microbiology - will combine their efforts to cover a wide range of bacteria and moulds as the subjects of the enrichments, isolations and microscopic examinations.

The course will be held in Jyväskylä, Central Finland, in March 2010. More information follows soon.

Rapid Microbiological Control of Paper Machines with PMEU Method

2009-11-05T17:48:00.000-08:00

E.Hakalehto. Department of Biosciences, University of Kuopio, P.O.B. 1627, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland, and Finnoflag Oy and Samplion Oy, Siilinjärvi, Finland (elias.hakalehto@pp.inet.fi)
L. Heitto. Environmental Research of Savo-Karjala Oy, FI-70150, Finland
J.V.Mentu. Samplion Oy, Siilinjärvi, Finland
H.Keitel. KK-Net Ky, FI-07900 Loviisa, Finland

PMEU incubations can be applied to rapid simulations of microbial growth in process waters and on the surfaces of test coupons as well as to testing of biocides against both waterborne and biofilm microorganisms. Relative efficiencies of alternative biocides can be tested with PMEU in original process samples during one working day. Recovery of the microbial population, treated with fast-acting biocides, can be detected after an incubation period of 24 hours.

When ATP Assay is included as a rapid measurement of microbial activity during the PMEU test periods, a fast, compact and realistic test procedure is ready to use for microbiological control of paper machine processes, without any need for microbiological laboratory facilities. Observation of biofilm production and detection of hazardous microbes can also be performed whenever additional analyses (Epifluorescence microscopy for biofilm testing, confirmation tests for hazardous microbes) are available.

- Published in "Paperi ja Puu" Paper and Pulp Magazine, Finland, Nov. 2009.

PMEU in PIRA Symposium, 14.-15.10.2009, in Barcelona.

2009-10-12T03:02:00.000-07:00

Paper industry applications of PMEU method will be presented in PIRA Symposium, Barcelona, both in an oral presentation of Key Account Manager Juha V. Mentu and in the exhibition, located in the conference hotel:

Paper Chemistry Symposium 2009
13 - 15 October 2009

Paper Chemistry Symposium 2009 is IntertechPira's flagship offering for the paper industry. This two day conference provides a rare opportunity to draw upon key industry speakers expertise in paper chemistry, paper science and best practice examples in the forest products industry.

Benefits of PMEU method in raw material control, HACCP, biocide testing, biofilm detection and activated sludge investigations will be highlighted in this symposium.

Welcome to visit us in Barcelona!

Fast detection of bacterial growth by using Portable Microbe Enrichment Unit (PMEU) and ChemPro100i® gas sensor

2009-09-27T09:20:00.000-07:00

Elias Hakalehto, Jouni Pesola, Anneli Heitto, Brajesh Bhanj Deob, Kari Rissanen, Ulla Sankilampi, Tarmo Humppi and Heikki Paakkanen

Abstract

The combination of the Portable Microbe Enrichment Unit (PMEU) cultivation and ChemPro100i® Chemical Detector helps the fast detection of hospital infections. The first alarm of the microbe metabolism and growth in the enrichment culture was achieved in 2–3 h when pure cultures of strains isolated from neonatal patients were tested. For the detection of minor concentrations of the bacteria, Bacillus, Staphylococcus, Klebsiella and Escherichia strains were diluted to 0.5–600 cells per ml. Their preliminary detection was achieved within 4–5 h. The combination of enrichment culture (PMEU) and detection of bacterial products by ion mobility spectrometer is a rapid and sensitive method for diagnosis of bacterial growth. This finding warrants further studies with clinical samples.

Keywords: Intestinal microbiota; Portable Microbe Enrichment Unit; Ion mobility spectrometer; Bacterial enrichment; Enterobacteriaceae; Escherichia coli; Klebsiella; Staphylococcus; Bacillus cereus; Hospital infections; Blood cultures; Neonatal septicaemia

The First PMEU Application: Rapid Detection of Harmful/Hazardous Bacteria.

2009-09-24T05:45:00.000-07:00

The very first type of PMEU applications, selective detection of bacterial species, has been used worldwide in research institutes and hospitals since the end of 20th century. The schematic picture above describes the significant benefit of PMEU analyses, the speed. Selective cultivations can be started even at the sampling site and be continued during the transport of the samples to the receiving laboratory. Collection and pre-enrichment of samples for eg. environmental control (water authorities etc.) and HACCP quality management (food, dairy and beverage industry, packaging industry) are therefore available with highest speed found in microbiology today. The rapid detection of pathogens can even save human lifes in cases when the right antibiotic treatment of patients, suffering of infections in blood circulation system, can be found in time.

A new PMEU application: quantitative MPN analyses of microbial counts

2009-08-28T09:28:00.000-07:00

PMEU method is based on the rapid cultivations of several samples. The old idea to apply it in MPN (Most Probable Number) analyses has now proven to be correct: referring the Finnish Standard Book "SFS-KÄSIKIRJA 94: Mikrobiologiset vesitutkimusmenetelmät" (Methods for Microbiological Water Analysis) and discussions with specialists, PMEU can be used as an alternative, rapid method instead of the traditional technique, tube series in water bath or in an incubator. PMEU itself works as an incubator with a temperature deviation of < 0.1 oC.

A combination of 4 (levels of dilutions) * 5 (repeats) allows to follow the Finnish standard SFS 4447 (The Tube Method in Microbiological Water Analysis) as well as standards derived of it like SFS-EN ISO 9308-3 (for and coliforms) and SFS-EN ISO 7899-1 (for enterococci). Standards usually give MPN tables in the framework of 3*5 tubes (eg. for dilutions from 0 to 0.01) but PMEU gives an extra level (eg. 0 to 0.001) which covers a wider range of microbial counts. Samples with unknown levels of microbial densities are therefore easier to analyse correctly.

It seems that the leading status of membrane filtration has revised today. There are types of samples which are difficult or impossible to analyse with them (too much suspended solids etc.) and tube tests like MPN should be chosen. PMEU Tube Tests should be preferred also in situations where fast results (in hours, compared with days with colony count analyses) are needed.

Applications of PMEU method for biofilm research and testing of biocides against biofilm growth

2009-08-16T05:57:00.000-07:00

Paper machine biofilms have been studied already several years by microbiologist J.Mentu. Test coupons, made of steel brands used in paper machines, have been installed inside PMEU syringaes and the growth has been observed with UV Epifluorescence Microscopy after a short incubation period (see picture above).

This technique has now been modified for ordinary light microscopes, too. Steel coupons have been replaced by specified glass slides and the Gram-stained biofilms can be observed with Bright Field Microscopy - no expensive epifluorescence microscopes are needed in this application.

This method will detect all biofilm-producing microbes and testing of biofilm-preventing biocides is also possible simultaneously. Primary attachers typically appear on the slides in just hours and mature biofilms are available in 12...24 hours. This application is very suitable for all areas of industry where the hygiene of surfaces is important. It can also be applied in every environmental research projects where the formation of biofilms in natural water environments is the subject of the study. Hygiene control of public swimming pools etc. also benefit of this method.

World Record Incubator for Microbiological Research and Control Tasks

2009-07-22T03:22:00.001-07:00

Enhanced enrichment and detection of thermotolerant Campylobacter species from water using the Portable Microbe Enrichment Unit and real-time PCR

2009-07-17T12:34:00.000-07:00

Tarja Pitkänen, Juliane Bräcker, Ilkka T. Miettinen, Anneli Heitto, Jouni Pesola, and Elias Hakalehto

Can. J. Microbiol. 55(7): 849–858 (2009):

Abstract: An enhanced enrichment using the Portable Microbe Enrichment Unit (PMEU) with the microaerobic bubbling of broths was applied for the detection of thermotolerant Campylobacter species from water. This PMEU enrichment was compared with the conventional static enrichment of the international standard ISO 17995:2005. In addition, Campylobacter detection after enrichment using a real-time PCR detection was compared with colony counts. The tests with stressed Campylobacter jejuni cells in drinking water indicated that the PMEU enrichment yielded a significantly higher number of Campylobacter cells in the Bolton broth compared with the conventional static incubation. Application of the real-time PCR technique shortened the Campylobacter detection time. This combination of method modifications can be used for Campylobacter detection from water and adds methodological repertoire for the rapid survey and management of waterborne outbreaks.

Key words: Campylobacter, enrichment, Portable Microbe Enrichment Unit, real-time PCR, water.

PMEU-teknologian perusteet / Basic descriptions of PMEU technology.

2009-07-14T01:06:00.000-07:00

PMEU -teknologia on tarkoitettu nopeuttamaan merkittävästi standardien mukaisia mikrobien viljelymenetelmiä. Samalla mikrobit, kuten erilaiset bakteerit, homeet ja hiivat, saadaan nopeasti rikastettua molekyylibiologisten tutkimusmenetelmien vaatimiin pitoisuuksiin. PMEU-menetelmää onkin menestyksellisesti hyödynnetty mm. PCR:n,immunoanalyysien ja ATP -mittausten esikäsittelymenetelmänä.

PMEU:n avulla saadaan mikrobien tutkimuksesta

1. herkempää
2. nopeampaa
3. luotettavampaa

kuin ennen; laboratorioissa, klinikoilla, tuotantolinjastoilla ja maastossa. Sen avulla näytteet saadaan tutkimuksen kohteiksi heti, ilman näytteen laatua heikentäviä viiveitä. Myös ympäristöstressistä kärsineet solut saadaan tehokkaasti elpymään.

FT, MMM Elias Hakalehto
Mikrobiologi, bioteknologi
International Postgraduate Diploma in Biotechnology (U.K.)
Bioteknisen mikrobianalytiikan dosentti
Kuopion yliopisto

PMEU (Portable Microbe Enrichment Unit) technology has been designed tomake the standard microbe cultivation methods significantly faster. At the same time the microbes, such as bacteria, moulds and yeasts, are rapidly enriched to concentrations required for different molecular methods. PMEU method has been successfully used for pretreatments for the PCR,
immunoanalysis and ATP measurements.

PMEU approach makes the microbiological research

1. more sensitive
2. faster
3. more reliable

than before; in the laboratories, clinics, production lines and outdoors.
The samples are studies immediately after sampling without delays that
lower the sample quality. Also the cells suffered from environmental
stresses are effectively recovered.

Elias Hakalehto, PhD, MSc (Agr.Sci)
Microbiologist, Biotechnologist
International Postgraduate Diploma in Biotechnology (U.K.)
Docent in Biotechnical Microbe Analytics
University of Kuopio
Kuopio, Finland

PMEU applications for paper industry microbiology.

2009-07-13T04:09:00.000-07:00

Paper industry microbiology is one of the several sectors of microbiology which can have significant benefits when applying PMEU methods for rapid hygiene control and HACCP procedures.

A paper mill consists of several technical parts which all act as growth environments (niches) for microbes. Paper machine itself is like a continuous flow fermentor, securing constant nutrient supply, growth environment and feedback for microbes. All regions of the system have their own microbial populations which cause risks for the processes, machinery, employees and product hygiene. Portable Microbiological Enrichment Unit (PMEU) by SAMPLION Oy (Siilinjärvi, Finland) has been modified to an analytical tool for paper industry microbiology, intended in estimation of microbial activities in process waters and simultaneous evaluation of alternative paper machine biocides. ATP Assay was combined with PMEU incubations to give quantitative values of living biomass during tests. PMEU can be used for the detection of harmful bacteria in raw materials and processes as well as on the control of biofilm-forming microbes when epifluorescence microscopy for the observations of biofilm growth on test plates is available. PMEU method helps to avoid bias, caused by the selecting and recovering effects of traditional colony count methods. Because of the robustness of PMEU incubator, it does not necessarily need any specified microbiological laboratory but acts also as a stand alone cultivation system in common paper mill laboratories research institutes as their additional microbiological tool.

Marketing of PMEU unit is starting in this summer.

2009-07-12T13:40:00.000-07:00

PMEU (Portable Microbiological Enrichment Unit) was developed by Dr. Elias Hakalehto for research purposes on 90's. A novel company called SAMPLION Ltd., grounded in May 2009, starts to deliver PMEU applications for different areas of microbiology.

Main features of PMEU enrichment, assay and testing procedures are its capability to enhance the growth of target microbes, its sensitivity and the challenge it serves when simulations of real target environments are needed. These features have already been proven in several research projects, derived eg. in hospitals, environmental laboratories and paper industry institutes.

We shall present these applications and refer our scientific articles, based on clinical, environmental, biotechnical and paper industry research projects, in this blog. All writers are experienced PMEU users, having long careers in microbiological research.

2009-07-09T10:03:00.000-07:00

PORTABLE MICROBIOLOGICAL ENRICHMENT UNIT (PMEU)

2009-07-07T16:00:00.000-07:00