Water monitoring systems
AssigneeCymtox Limited
InventorsColin Gibson, Gerald Melville Aubrey Jones, Francisco Gomez, John Thomas Magee, David Tallis Pooley, William Ralph Craig Stewart
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention relates to a continuous water monitoring system, including components thereof, and a method relating thereto for continuously monitoring, in real-time, a water supply in order to detect contaminants therein. The system employs the use of a live culture of bioluminescent bacteria and suitable light detecting means.
Claims30
A continuous water monitoring system for detecting contaminants in a water supply comprising:
- a) a feed line for delivering a sample of water from a water system or a natural water supply to a test chamber;
- b) a test chamber;
- c) a bioreagent fermenter in fluid communication with said test chamber for delivering a light emitting bioreagent, grown in said fermenter, to said test chamber;
- d) a light detection means associated with at least said test chamber for measuring light emitted from said bioreagent;
- e) a waste line for removing said sample and said bioreagent from said test chamber;
- characterised in that:
- said light detection means measures the light emitting properties of the bioreagent before and after contact with said water sample and, where there is a change in the said light emitting properties after contact with said sample, the water monitoring system registers that the sample water has been contaminated.
A continuous water monitoring system for detecting contaminants in a water supply comprising:
- a) a feed line for delivering a sample of water from a water system or a natural water supply to a test chamber;
- b) a test chamber;
- c) a bioreagent fermenter in fluid communication with said test chamber for delivering a light emitting bioreagent, grown in said fermenter, to said test chamber;
- d) a light detection means associated with at least said test chamber for measuring light emitted from said bioreagent;
- and
- e) a waste line for removing said sample and said bioreagent from said test chamber;
- characterised in that:
- f) a water sample conditioning means is provided for conditioning said sample of water before it is delivered to said test chamber.
A method for continuously monitoring a water supply in order to detect contaminants therein comprising:
- a) delivering a sample of water from a water system or a natural water supply to a test chamber;
- b) delivering a light emitting bioreagent to said test chamber;
- c) detecting light emitted from said bioreagent before and after it has been exposed to said water sample;
- d) determining, where there has been a change in light emission as a result of contact of said bioreagent with said water sample, that contaminants exist in said water sample;
- and
- e) removing said water sample and said bioreagent from said test chamber in order to repeat the above process.
A continuous water monitoring system for detecting contaminants in a water supply comprising:
- a) a feed line for delivering a sample of water from a water system or a natural water supply to a test chamber;
- b) a test chamber;
- c) a water sample conditioning means for altering the ionic strength of said sample of water before it is delivered to said test chamber;
- d) a bioreagent fermenter in fluid communication with said test chamber for delivering a light emitting bioreagent, vibrio fischeri, grown in said fermenter to said test chamber;
- e) a light detection means associated with at least said test chamber for measuring light emitted from said bioreagent;
- and
- f) a waste line for removing said sample and said bioreagent from said test chamber.
30-31. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.