Compare the Aquagenx GEL EC Kit to Other Tests
The GEL EC CFU Kit is simple and easy to use. Users count E. coli colonies right in our GEL Bag
It does not need membrane filtration equipment, complicated procedures or intensive training.
See how our GEL EC CFU Kit compares to membrane filtration CFU water quality test kits and methods.
Colony Forming Units Test
- 100 mL sample
- Three year shelf life of growth medium
- No membrane filtration equipment required
- No media preparation required
- Only components are Thio-Bag, GEL Bag, growth medium packet, GEL Powder packet
- Ambient temperature incubation ≥25°C
- Works at variable temperatures
- Colonies easy to identify and count
Compare to IDEXX Colilert
The World Health Organization (WHO) engaged KWR Laboratory to evaluate the Aquagenx GEL EC CFU Kit against standard method IDEXX Colilert 2000. The report yielded outstanding results.
WHO Report GEL EC CFU Kit→
Compare to Membrane Filtration Methods
Aquagenx® GEL Kit User Manual
Wagtech™ Potatest Classic User Manual
DelAgua Bacteriological Kit No 1 User Manual
UNICEF MICS E. Coli Testing User Manual
Downloads UNICEF Word document
GEL EC Kit Components
E. coli Medium
Aquagenx E. coli medium for GEL test dissolves quickly
Whirl-Pak Thio-Bag
100 mL Whirl-Pak Thio-Bag for sample collection
GEL Powder
GEL powder makes sample gelatinous
GEL Bag
GEL bag holds the sample during incubation period
Compare Test Features
| Download PDF of Table |
Aquagenx GEL EC CFU Kit |
Membrane Filtration Methods |
| Testing method | Colony Forming Units (CFU) | Colony Forming Units (CFU) |
| Microbial indicator | E. coli | Depends on product/system: Thermotolerant (fecal) Coliforms; E. coli |
| Usability | Easy for anyone to use, designed for field testing | Requires intensive training, challenging to use for field testing |
| Portability | Lightweight, easy to carry and transport | Can be heavy and/or cumbersome, multiple components |
| Incubation | Ambient temperature incubation >25° Celsius | Requires incubator and temperature control |
| Components | Thio-Bag, GEL Bag, E. coli medium, GEL Powder | Filter and funnel apparatus, vacuum system (vacuum flask and vacuum source, typically an electrical pump or a vacuum line in a lab) or large syringe, culture plates, petri dishes, gridded membrane filters, multiple measuring devices, absorbent pads, volume dispensers (e.g., sterile pipettes and/or graduated cylinders or centrifuge tubes with volume marks), tweezers, heat source to flame tweezers |
| Procedures | Eight easy steps | Time consuming with multiple steps: equipment set-up and preparation, culture media preparation (or costly sterile media in ampoules), sterilization of multiple pieces of equipment |
| Growth medium shelf life | 3 years | 3 months to 2 years depending on system |
| Growth medium storage | Store at 4-25° Celsius in a dry environment, refrigeration is optional | Requires refrigeration and cold chain |
| Post-test disposables and reusables | No reusables to clean or sterilize. To decontaminate sample, add liquid bleach or chlorine tablets to GEL bag. Or, treat with heat >60°C. After 30 minutes, pour contents into a sink, toilet or hole in ground and safely dispose the GEL Bag with solid waste. | Disposables: Petri dishes (and possibly sample collection bag, large syringe for pulling a vacuum, disposable pipettes and disposable graduated centrifuge tubes) that must be decontaminated prior to disposal (e.g., with heat >60 degrees C or free chlorine). Reusables: Multiple materials and equipment that require decontamination, cleaning and sterilization (e.g., filter apparatus, pipettes and/or graduated cylinders, vacuum flask, sample collection bottles, etc.) |