• Coliform
• E.coli
• Total Viable Microbe

• Amm. Nitrogen
• Chromate
• Chloride
• Chlorine DPD
• Hardness
• Phosphate (ortho)
• Iron
• Zinc

HOW TO USE TESTERS FOR COMMON APPLICATIONS:

DRINKING & WELL WATER:
Suggested Tests: Total Microbes, Coliforms, Chlorine, Hardness, Iron, Zinc
Additional Equipment: Apparatus Assembly, Dechlorinating Solution
Steps: Fill sample cup with water sample. Add 2 drops dechlorinating solution. Wait 15 minutes and run test.

POOL & SPAS:
Suggested Tests: Total Microbes, Coliforms, and Chlorine Tester
Additional Equipment: Apparatus Assembly, Deohlorinating Solution

Steps: Fill sample cup with water sample. Run Chlorine Tester. Add 2 drops dechlorinating solution for each 1 ppm of chlorine (read from chlorine test color chart).
Wait 15 minutes and run other tests.

FOODS:
Suggested Tests: Total Microbes, E. coli
Additional Equipment: Apparatus Assembly, Black Light, Support kit SKOl.
Steps: Rinse (plastic bag) or swab (sponge) food product with Rinse Buffer Solution contained in SKOl Kit. Example for small foods: put product in plastic bag and shake. Remove food product and pour rinse water into sample cup. For large food products soak sponge in buffer and swab food surface. Squeeze sponge into sample cup. Fill sample cup with rinse water. Run test.

SURFACE AREAS:
Suggested Tests: Total Microbes, E. coli
Additional Equipment: Apparatus Assembly, Black Light, Support Kit SKOl.
Steps: Swab (sponge) surface area with Rinse Buffer Solution contained in SKOl kit. Squeeze sponge into sample cup. Fill sample cup with rinse water. Run test.

SOILS:
Suggested Tests: Total Microbes, Coliforms, E. coli, Ammonia Nitrogen. Phosphates
Additional Equipment: Apparatus Assembly, Black Light, Support Kit SKOl.
Steps: Draw a glass or beaker with premeasured 100 ml of room temperature, bacteria free deionized water. Using measuring spoon contained in SkOl kit, add 1 gram of soil to the water. Over the next 30 minutes, periodically swirl the mixture with an alcohol wiped spoon or stirring bar. Allow the mixture to settle for 5 minutes and then pour the liquid into the sample cup. Run test.

AQUARIUMS & FISH PONDS
Suggested tests: Total Microbes, Coliforms, Ammonia Nitrogen, Chlorine,
Hardness, Phosphate
Additional Equipment: Apparatus Assembly, Dechlorinating Solution
Steps: Fill sample cup with water sample. Add 2 drops dechlorinating solution. Wait 15 minutes and run test.

NATURAL WATERS (STREAMS. RIVERS. LAKES & ETC.)
Suggested tests: Total Microbes, Coliforms, Ammonia Nitrogen, Hardness,Phosphate.
Additional Equipment: Apparatus Assembly, Dechlorinating Solution
Steps: Fill sample cup with water sample. Add 2 drops dechlorinating solution. Wait 15 minutes and run test.

SAMPLES WITH COLOR:
Biologic: Use a control ampoule to establish a start of test color. Compare test ampoule to control ampoule. When test ampoule changes color when compared to control ampoule, end of test has been reached
Chemical: Place a test tube of sample water in front of color chart colors and compare to test ampoule.

SPEED
Paddle Testers - Presence/Absence in 24 hours, Limited Range Quantity 48-72 Hours.

Simpltek -Presence/Absence in 24 Hours. Quantification 2-12 Hours.
For high microbe counts (potentially dangerous conditions) Simpltek is 10 - 20 times faster. Want to drink the water, eat the food, go swimming? Test time is critical because bacteria can grow rapidly to staggering levels slow paddle testers take so long that their results may no longer represent actual conditions.

SAFETY
Paddle Testers - Test media and microbes are exposed to open air during sampling, making it possible for contaminants to become airborne and spread throughout the environment.

Simpltek - Test media and microbes are completely sealed from human contact unless the ampoule is smashed. Glass can cut but preinstalled protective shield provides a safety barrier during snapping procedure.

EASE OF OPERATION
Paddle Testers - Operator is required to dose sample and interpret a colony pattern without allowing chemical or biological contamination of the test. Don't sneeze, cough or touch the paddle sampler when testing! An error is easily undetected and can report a false result.

Simpltek - Just snap the ampoule and detect a color change. No chance of contamination of sample or operator error if the ampoule is snapped according to instructions.

ACCURACY
Paddle Testers - The test is subject to the effects of humidity and operator error. Test sample is only approximately 1 ml and the results approximately 10 to the 6.

Simpltek - Minimal chance of operator error. Sample size is 7.5 ml and the test range is quantifiable from 0 - 10 to the 8.

SHELF LIFE
Paddle Testers - Commonly 1 year in a dry but not freezing environment.

Simpltek - 4 years plus. Dry, wet, warm or freezing, it doesn't matter.

TEST CONFIRMATION
Paddle Testers - Once the test is run, the sample evaporates and there is no way to confirm the results via lab testing..

Simpltek - Test ampoules retain 7.5 ml of sample and matrix, thus creating an audit trail which can be used for lab testing if necessary. Both chemical and biological confirmations can be run. Additionally, it microbes are found a subsequent lab analysis can identify microbe species to determine if toxic conditions exist.

METHOD APPROVAL & CERTIFICATION
Paddle Testers - NONE

Simpltek - Total Microbes 5/31/99 - ASTM, Coliform & E-coIi - AOAC pending 6/99

TEST FLEXIBILITY
Paddle testers - Primarily set-up for liquid samples.
Simpltek - Applications include, liquids, surfaces, soils and foods.

TESTING OPTIONS
Paddle Testers - Coliforms.

Simpltek - Total Microbes, Coliforms, E-coli and various Chemical tests.

OTHER
Paddle testers - Reads microbial presence.

Simpltek - Reads presence AND activity. Simpltek has the advantage of giving fewer false positive results. Treated, inactive microbes are not counted. Example: drinking water treated with chlorine will kill or depilate coliforms. Paddle testers remove the inactive coliform from its environment, revives it and counts it as a problem when it is not. Simpltek identifies only the ones which are untreated and toxin capable.