ISO 10705-2-2000 PDF

Full title and description

ISO 10705-2:2000 — Water quality — Detection and enumeration of bacteriophages — Part 2: Enumeration of somatic coliphages. This part of ISO 10705 specifies a laboratory method for detecting and enumerating somatic coliphages in water and related samples for the purpose of assessing faecal contamination and treatment performance.

Abstract

This international standard describes a culture-based procedure (double-layer agar technique) for enumeration of somatic coliphages infecting Escherichia coli strains in a range of water matrices (including drinking waters, wastewaters, sludges and sediments). The method provides guidance on sample preparation, plating, plaque counting and expression of results, and is intended for routine monitoring and research applications in microbiology and water quality laboratories.

General information

• Status: Published; international standard confirmed (active).
• Publication date: April 2000 (Edition 1, 2000-04).
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
• ICS / categories: 07.100.20 (Microbiology of water).
• Edition / version: Edition 1 (2000).
• Number of pages: 16 (ISO metadata lists 16 pages; other catalogues may report slightly different page counts for regional/adopted versions).

Scope

ISO 10705-2:2000 defines a standard laboratory procedure for the detection and enumeration of somatic coliphages (bacteriophages that infect via the somatic surface of host bacteria) in water and related materials. The standard is targeted at routine and investigative analyses where coliphage enumeration is used as an indicator of faecal pollution or to evaluate virological quality and treatment efficiency. The method is part of the ISO 10705 series on bacteriophages and complements procedures for F-specific phages and for method validation/concentration techniques.

Key topics and requirements

• Scope and applicability: describes sample types and situations where somatic coliphage enumeration is appropriate.
• Analytical principle: double-layer agar (DAL) plaque assay for detection and counting of plaques (colony-forming units interpreted as plaque-forming units).
• Host strains and culture conditions: prescribes suitable E. coli host strains and preparation of host lawns (ISO references specific strains used historically in the method).
• Sample handling and volumes: typical analytical volumes and any recommended concentration/pretreatment steps (for low-titre samples see companion Part 3 on concentration method validation).
• Quality control and reporting: requirements for controls, limits of detection, expression of results (PFU per unit volume or mass) and result interpretation.

Typical use and users

Used by environmental and public health laboratories, water utilities, wastewater treatment facilities, research institutions and regulatory agencies for monitoring faecal contamination, assessing virological treatment performance, and in studies of pathogen fate and transport. Laboratory analysts, microbiologists and water-quality specialists are the primary users.

Related standards

ISO 10705 is a multi-part series. Relevant related documents include ISO 10705-1 (Enumeration of F-specific RNA bacteriophages), ISO 10705-3 (Validation of methods for concentration of bacteriophages from water), and ISO 10705-4 (Enumeration of bacteriophages infecting Bacteroides fragilis). The ISO text has also been adopted as EN ISO 10705-2 in some regions.

Keywords

somatic coliphages, bacteriophages, water quality, enumeration, double-layer agar, plaque assay, wastewater, microbiology, ISO 10705

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO 10705-2:2000 is an international standard specifying a method for detection and enumeration of somatic coliphages in water and related samples.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers a culture-based plaque assay procedure (double-layer agar technique), sample handling guidance, counting and reporting of somatic coliphages for routine monitoring and investigative purposes.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Environmental and public health labs, water and wastewater utilities, researchers studying viral indicators, and regulatory bodies concerned with microbiological water quality.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: The 2000 edition (Edition 1) remains the published international standard and has been reviewed and confirmed in subsequent systematic reviews; it is listed as confirmed/active in ISO metadata. For concentration procedures and low-titre samples, consult ISO 10705-3 (2003).

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — ISO 10705 is a multipart series addressing bacteriophage detection and enumeration: Part 1 (F-specific RNA phages), Part 2 (somatic coliphages), Part 3 (validation of concentration methods) and Part 4 (bacteriophages infecting Bacteroides fragilis).

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Somatic coliphages, bacteriophages, plaque assay, double-layer agar, water microbiology, water quality indicators, ISO 10705.