Patent ID: 6033568
Filing Date: 2000-03-07
Classification: G01N,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
A method for determining the concentration of biodegradable dissolved organic carbon contaminants in a water system, comprising the steps of:a) providing a flow path for water to be analyzed, said flow path including an inflow path and an outflow path;b) establishing a biofilm consisting of microbes from said water system whose biodegradable dissolved organic carbon is to be determined, wherein establishing said biofilm includes flowing said stream water through said apparatus along a zone of said flow path, said zone being provided between said inflow path and said outflow path;c) providing along said flow path first flow regulation means for regulating the flow of water to the zone containing the biofilm;d) flowing said water through said first flow regulation means;e) flowing said water through the zone of the flow path at which said biofilm is contained;f) flowing water out from the zone of the flow path at which said biofilm is contained through a second flow regulation means, wherein said first and second flow regulation means facilitate an even dispersion of water through the zone of the flow path;g) measuring with measuring means the concentration of dissolved organic carbon of the flow water DOCin, prior to the flow water entering the zone containing the biofilm;h) measuring with measuring means the concentration of dissolved organic carbon of the flow water DOCout, after the flow water has passed through the zone containing the biofilm; andi) subtracting the DOCout reading from the DOCin reading to obtain a measurement of biodegradable dissolved organic carbon concentration of the water sample; wherein the step of establishing a biofilm along said zone of flow path includes providing a material in said zone for enabling microbes present in said water system to attach to said material and flowing water from said water system to be analyzed through said first flow regulation means and to said material in said zone.