Patent ID: 9145541
Filing Date: 2015-09-29
Classification: B01J,C12N,C12Q,G01N

Abstract:
1. A process comprising: (a) providing a particulate concentration agent that consists essentially of gamma-FeO(OH) that comprises microparticle agglomerates comprising acicular crystallites that are less than 1 micrometer in largest dimension, wherein the microparticle agglomerates have particle sizes in the range of 3 micrometers to 100 micrometers in largest dimension; (b) providing a fluid sample comprising at least one microorganism strain selected from strains of bacteria, yeasts, bacterial endospores, bacteriophages, and combinations thereof; (c) contacting said concentration agent with said sample such that at least a portion of said concentration agent is dispersed in said sample and at least a portion of said at least one microorganism strain is bound to or captured by said concentration agent to provide a microorganism-bound concentration agent; (d) segregating the resulting microorganism-bound concentration agent, wherein said segregating is effected by gravitational settling of the microorganism-bound concentration agent, wherein the gravitational settling is achieved over a time period of about 5 minutes to about 30 minutes; and (e) detecting the presence of at least one viable bound microorganism.