Microbial Monitoring News & Blog

Environmental monitoring for the fight against COVID-19

While much of the COVID-19 response to date has been focused on human-to-human transmission of the virus, largely unaddressed to date are the ongoing risks of environmental transmission and the role of environmental monitoring to... Read More

Reducing Legionella risks on cruise ships

The global fleet is expected to grows With 125 new cruise ships set to enter the world’s by 2027, boosting the number of ships to over 550 and providing... Read More

Converting qPCR results to resemble Culture Method results

Converting gene copies/mL to cells/mL Since many operators like to have results reported in a format that is familiar to them, it is possible to convert the gene copies/mL... Read More

LuminUltra Will Supply 500,000 COVID-19 tests per week to Canadian Government

April 15th, 2020 Fredericton, New Brunswick – Canadian biotechnology leader LuminUltra today announced that it will provide 500,000 urgently needed COVID-19 tests per week to the Canadian federal government... Read More

LuminUltra’s response to COVID-19

LuminUltra is committed to keeping you up-to-date on our response during this ever-changing time. Latest updates here.... Read More

Harness the power of one bacterium to remove PFAS from the environment

What are PFAS? Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a family of synthetic organic molecules, which are not naturally occurring in nature. Due to the strong carbon-fluorine bond present... Read More

All you need to know about qPCR

You may have heard of quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR) in the news recently as the gold-standard testing method for COVID-19. But did you know that this technology can... Read More

Impact of sample preservation protocols for metagenomics analysis in the oilfield

The lack of standardized protocols and the remote nature of oilfields are major concerns when it comes to sample preservation to maintain the integrity of the microbial population during... Read More

Understanding the ballast water fractions

Ballast water monitoring is vital to preventing the spread of invasive species With more than 4,000 different organisms found in a ship’s ballast water tank, it’s no surprise why... Read More

Four ways to get the most out of your metagenomics data

Metagenomics is an emerging field Metagenomics is a quickly evolving field, with new papers being published and new products and services being offered each year. Since metagenomics analysis is a relatively... Read More

Invasive Marine Species and Ballast Water Management: The Past and Future

Understanding the microbial content of a ship’s ballast water is critical. As the guidelines laid out in the IMO Ballast Water Management Convention are widely adopted, having a keen... Read More

International Maritime Organization Answers Questions About The Ballast Water Management Convention

The Ballast Water Management Convention (BWMC) entered into force globally on September 8, 2017. In a recent document, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) responded to frequently asked questions about... Read More

Water Industry Veteran Heiner Markhoff Joins Board of Global Microbial Solutions Leader LuminUltra

Veteran water treatment and waste management industry CEO Heiner Markhoff is now contributing his vast knowledge to LuminUltra Technologies.... Read More

How to use ATP and DNA in a Wastewater Nitrification Monitoring Plan

Ammonia removal is a key metric for assessing wastewater treatment facility performance. This is because ammonia contributes to aquatic life toxicity. Furthermore, nitrogen, along with phosphorus, is a driver... Read More

Takeaways from AWWA’s ACE19

Last month I attended the American Water Works Association’s Annual Conference and Exhibition in Denver. There was a lot to learn with so many technical presentations, workshops, and trade... Read More

How Can I Use NGS to Improve My Industrial Process?

First of all, what is NGS and what does it do? Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) is a tool that has revolutionized many fields of study. So far DNA sequencing has... Read More

LuminUltra Introduces GeneCount™ DNA-Based Microbial Solutions

June 20, 2019 – Microbiology control specialist LuminUltra today launched its revolutionary new GeneCount® portfolio of DNA products and services, making it far easier and faster to quantify, specify... Read More

What’s in a name? Three Intricacies of Organism Names in NGS Data

There’s no universal method for cataloging organisms or for converting sequencing data to taxonomic data, so careful examination of methodology, as well as the results, is needed when analyzing... Read More

How Cape Town’s Successful Water Conservation Measures Created Unexpected Problems

Water conservation will be among the most critical issues that mankind faces in the future, and nowhere has this been clearer than Cape Town, South Africa. ... Read More

The Benefits of 2nd Generation ATP for a Manager

LuminUltra’s 2nd Generation ATP testing can help operators and field technicians by delivering rapid microbiological water quality data for immediate action, but it’s also an integral tool to help... Read More

Over-allocated: The story of the Colorado River

The Colorado River rises high into the Rocky Mountains and cuts a 2,300 kilometre course southwest to the Gulf of California. It passes through five U.S. (Colorado, Utah, Arizona,... Read More

Why it’s important to measure backgrounds in ATP samples

For those familiar with 2nd Generation ATP testing, it’s clear that the luminometer is a critical piece of equipment in the testing procedure. It allows us to quantify ATP... Read More

Ballast Water 101

When ships dock their cargo at a port, they must take on vast amounts of sea water to maintain their stability – ballast water – which is then dumped... Read More

Most Wanted Microbes: Vibrio cholerae

From the editor: This is the fifteenth and final post in our series profiling microorganisms of particular significance in water and wastewater systems. In this series we will cover... Read More

Not Your Average Filter – Specialized Features of Luminultra’s Quench-Gone Filter

The Quench-Gone syringe filter is included in our ATP test kits for some methods. Learn more about about what they do.... Read More

New LuminUltra DNA Tools Provide Rapid Screening and Identification of Microbes

Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR) and Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) can rapidly screen for and identify nearly all types of microbes present.... Read More

Quiz Time! Time to Test Your Water Smarts

Quiz time! As we continue to grow and offer advanced microbial services, we’re paying close attention to other scientific advances that will shape the water monitoring sector in... Read More

What Can 2nd Generation ATP^® Do for an Operator or Field Technician?

Does your current (microbial) testing program, give you all the answers you need? Find out how a new generation of ATP testing can provide useful insights on the spot.... Read More

Mitigating Reservoir Souring through Biological Monitoring

Professionals in the upstream oil and gas production industry have been aware of sulfate-reducing prokaryotes (SRP) in oilfield fluids since the early 1900’s however, it wasn’t until the 1990’s... Read More

Why “Raw Water” May Not Be as Pure as You Think – The Risks of “All-Natural” Raw Water

Over the past several years, we’ve seen a drastic increase in the demand for all-natural products across several industries. Consumers are becoming more and more aware of both... Read More

LuminUltra continues to grow with acquisition of aqua-tools’ Rapid Microbial Solutions division

LuminUltra has acquired aqua-tools’ Rapid Microbial Solutions division, including its B-QUA™ product line for ballast water compliance monitoring.... Read More

Can Microbial-based Metalworking Fluids Outperform Traditional Water-based Fluids?

A 2017 study presents a paradigm shift by demonstrating the effectiveness of microbial-based vs. water-based MWFs.... Read More

Sequencing Your Bioreactor – Who’s Doing the Work?

Metagenomics through the incorporation of next generation sequencing (NGS) is changing the way wastewater treatment plants are monitored and understood. NGS can be used in aerobic and anaerobic... Read More

One-stop microbiology management now available as LuminUltra acquires InstantLabs

The aquisition enables one-stop microbiological management using a new combination of technologies and expertise. Learn more.... Read More

The Overlooked Importance of Calibrating Your Enzyme

One of the major benefits of LuminUltra’s 2nd generation ATP monitoring over existing technology (i.e. ATP pens) is the normalization of enzyme activity. At the microbiological level, knowing... Read More

Most Wanted Microbes – Methanogens

From the editor: This is the thirteenth post in an ongoing series profiling microorganisms of particular significance in water and wastewater systems. In this series we will cover... Read More

Cocktail Party Examples – Microbiologically Induced Corrosion

Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion (MIC) causes billions of dollars in damage annually. MIC affects diverse industries including marine transportation and shipping, chemical and oil processing, power generation, water treatment, and... Read More

Most Wanted Microbes – Bacillus

From the editor: This is the twelfth post in an ongoing series profiling microorganisms of particular significance in water and wastewater systems. In this series we will cover microorganisms of many types including some... Read More

Amazing Water Resources

If you find it easiest to understand a new concept through some type of visualization, you’re not alone. If you happen to be a ‘visual’ person and have... Read More

Most Wanted Microbes – Candidatus Accumulibacter

From the editor: This is the eleventh post in an ongoing series profiling microorganisms of particular significance in water and wastewater systems. In this series we will cover microorganisms of many types including some... Read More

Am I Missing Something? A Look into the Dangers of Viable but Nonculturable Cells (VBNC)

The significance of viable but non-culturable (VBNC) cells is becoming increasingly evident. We revisit the importance of measuring them.... Read More

Most Wanted Microbes – Iron Reducing Bacteria (IRB)

While sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) are widely known as a major cause of MIC in carbon steel, other bacteria with different physiological properties have been identified as potential... Read More

How Can You Quickly Implement ATP Monitoring in Your Drinking Water System?

You’ve likely heard of ATP technology, but may not have had the time to fully explore the value it can bring to your existing microbial monitoring program. Here’s a... Read More

The United Nations: Protecting Our Water

The United Nations plays an important role in many, if not all, of the issues facing the planet. Since the end of World War II, the organization has... Read More

Most Wanted Microbes – Coliforms

From the editor: This is the ninth post in an ongoing series profiling microorganisms of particular significance in water and wastewater systems. In this series we will cover microorganisms... Read More

Maximize ATP Test Result Accuracy with Our Pipetting Tips and Tricks!

If you purchased one of our portable equipment sets, you received a set of fixed-volume pipettes. These pipettes allow you to run ATP analyses in the field without... Read More

Most Wanted Microbes – Cyanobacteria (a.k.a. Blue Green Algae)

An image search for the term “algae” quickly reveals a page filled with photos of green-colored surface water. Many of these green blooms that often invade our lakes... Read More

Smelly Paint: Why We Must Keep Microbes out of Chemical Products

Painting is a hobby for some and a tortuous task for others. Regardless of where you fall on that spectrum, nobody likes it when paint smells. If you’ve never... Read More

Singapore MPA Selects Aqua-Tools (formerly a LuminUltra distributer) B-QUA Kit for Ballast Water Testing

French water microbiology expert aqua-tools (formerly a LuminUltra distributer) has won a tender to supply Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) with its B-QUA ballast water test kits. A... Read More

Hurricane Season

With the start of the 2018 hurricane season right around the corner, many people living in the Caribbean and along the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coasts of... Read More

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