bNovate Technologies has introduced an automated monitoring system designed to identify and quantify bacteria in wastewater and recreational bathing water in under 60 minutes.
The Swiss company said BactoSense ID can monitor coliforms, enterococci and E. coli continuously, providing water operators with information between scheduled laboratory samples. The system uses flow cytometry and can send results to supervisory control and data acquisition systems.
Faster detection of changing bacteria levels
Conventional culture-based testing can take between 18 and 72 hours to produce results, depending on the organism and method used. BactoSense ID is designed to provide an operational indication of changing bacterial concentrations in less than an hour.
The technology uses replaceable reagent cartridges selected according to the bacteria being monitored. Sampling, staining, analysis and cleaning are automated, reducing the need for routine manual handling.
bNovate stressed that the technology is intended to complement laboratory cultivation methods rather than replace required regulatory tests. Faster information could nevertheless help operators investigate sudden changes and adjust treatment processes while awaiting laboratory confirmation.
Wastewater treatment applications
At wastewater treatment plants, BactoSense ID can monitor bacterial concentrations throughout the treatment process. Results can be integrated into existing SCADA systems, allowing operators to review microbiological data alongside other plant measurements.
This could support decisions about disinfection, process performance and the suitability of treated effluent for water reuse. Operators may also be able to identify periods when additional treatment is required or when chemical and energy inputs could be reduced.
bNovate reports that testing at a large wastewater treatment plant in Switzerland detected a twentyfold increase in coliform concentrations within four hours following heavy rainfall. The company said continuous monitoring revealed the change before it would have appeared through conventional laboratory reporting.
When connected to the company’s BactoSwitch sampling system, one analyser can receive water from several monitoring points. This allows operators to compare bacterial levels before and after individual treatment stages.
Monitoring recreational bathing water
BactoSense ID has also been developed for field monitoring at beaches, lakes and other recreational waters. Data can be sent to cloud platforms or public dashboards to provide more frequent information about changing water quality.
The EU Bathing Water Directive requires monitoring of intestinal enterococci and E. coli. It generally requires at least four samples per bathing season, including one taken shortly before the season begins, although specified short seasons and geographically constrained locations may use three.
Continuous monitoring could provide an additional early-warning signal between those scheduled samples, particularly after rainfall, wastewater discharges or other events capable of producing short-term contamination. Official classification and compliance would continue to rely on approved sampling and analytical methods.
Flow cytometry and system integration
BactoSense ID builds on the automated flow cytometry technology used across bNovate’s existing BactoSense monitoring portfolio. Flow cytometry passes cells through a laser-based detection system and analyses their optical characteristics.
The company’s existing analysers provide automated measurements, local data access and connections to external control systems. BactoSense ID extends that approach by targeting bacteria commonly monitored in wastewater and recreational water.
Serge Gander, chief executive of bNovate Technologies, said the system was designed to make microbiological information more useful for operational decisions.
“Our aim is not to replace lab-based cultivation tests, but to complement them using different methodologies,” he said. “By closing the blind spots between the compliance samples and offering a kind of process signal, we are making microbiology actionable.”
H2O Global News previously covered the launch of bNovate’s expanded BactoSense product portfolio and the company’s subsequent distribution agreement for microbiological water monitoring in the United States.
Frequently asked questions
What is BactoSense ID?
BactoSense ID is an automated flow cytometry system developed by bNovate Technologies for monitoring selected bacteria in wastewater and recreational bathing water.
Which bacteria can BactoSense ID monitor?
bNovate says BactoSense ID can identify and quantify coliforms, enterococci and E. coli using interchangeable reagent cartridges.
How quickly does BactoSense ID provide results?
The company says BactoSense ID can produce results in under 60 minutes, compared with the longer reporting periods associated with conventional culture-based laboratory methods.
Does BactoSense ID replace regulatory laboratory testing?
No. bNovate describes BactoSense ID as a complementary operational monitoring system. Required compliance tests and official bathing-water classifications continue to depend on approved sampling and analytical methods.
Can BactoSense ID connect to treatment plant control systems?
Yes. The system can integrate with SCADA and cloud-based platforms, allowing microbiological measurements to be viewed alongside existing operational data.
