Parameter selection for a microvolume electrochemical Escherichia coli detector for pairing with a concentration device

Waterborne infections are responsible for health problems worldwide and their prompt and sensitive detection in recreational and potable water is of great importance. Bacterial identification and enumeration in water samples ensures water is safe for its intended use. Culture-based methods can be time consuming and are usually performed offsite. There is a need to for automated and distributed at-source detectors for water quality monitoring. Herein we demonstrate a microvolume Escherichia coli (E. coli) detector based on a screen printed electrode (SPE) bioelectroanalytical system and explore to what extent performance can be improved by coupling it with a filtration device. To confidently benchmark detector performance, we applied a statistical assessment method to target optimal detection of a simulated concentrated sample. Our aim was to arrive at a holistic understanding of device performance and to demonstrate system improvements based on these insights. The best achievable detection time for a simulated 1 CFU mL⁻¹ sample was 4.3 (±0.6) h assuming no loss of performance in the filtration step. The real filtered samples fell short of this, extending detection time to 16–18 h. The loss in performance is likely to arise from stress imposed by the filtration step which inhibited microbial growth rates.