Patent ID: 8609330

Claim:
A method of detecting one or more living cells in a liquid sample, the method comprising: providing a cell concentration agent, a hydrogel comprising a cell extractant and a liquid sample suspected of containing one or more living cells; contacting the liquid sample and the cell concentration agent for a period of time and forming a first mixture comprising the cell concentration agent; isolating the cell concentration agent from at least a portion of the first mixture comprising the cell concentration agent; forming a second liquid mixture comprising the isolated cell concentration agent and the hydrogel, wherein the cell extractant is released from the hydrogel into the second liquid mixture; and detecting ATP in the second liquid mixture; wherein said detecting ATP in the second liquid mixture comprises quantifying an amount of ATP in the second liquid mixture; wherein the amount of ATP in the second liquid mixture is quantified at two or more time points; wherein the amount of ATP in the second liquid mixture detected at a first time point of the two or more time points is compared to the amount of ATP in the second liquid mixture detected at a second time point of the two or more time points, wherein the second time point happens after the first time point; wherein an increase in the amount of ATP detected at the second time point compared to the first time point is an indication of the presence of said one or more live cells in the liquid sample.