Cartridge providing real-time colorimetric detection and/or turbidimetric detection of microorganisms via image capture on a mobile device

A cartridge for detecting the presence of a microorganism, comprising:

• a main body having a plurality of walls that define a plurality of chambers for receiving the fluid sample, the main body further including an optically clear top surface for each of the plurality of chambers, the plurality of walls including a lower wall at the bottom of each of the plurality of chamber,
• a background contrast pattern associated with each of the lower walls that can be viewed through the corresponding optically clear top surface, the background contrast pattern becoming hazy when viewed through the optically clear top surface in response to a turbidity change in the fluid sample caused by growth of the microorganism;
• at least one of the plurality of chambers including a nutrient-rich material to facilitate the microorganism growth;
• and
• at least one of the plurality of chambers including a chemical dye, the chemical dye causing the fluid sample to change color in response to the microorganism growth;
• and
• wherein the presence of the microorganism in the fluid sample is detected by the haziness of the background contrast pattern and/or the color change in the fluid sample in one or more of the chambers.

A cartridge for detecting the presence of microorganisms in a fluid sample, comprising:

• a main body having a plurality of walls that define a plurality of chambers for receiving the fluid sample, the plurality of chambers including at least a first chamber and a second chamber, the main body further including an optically clear top surface for each of the plurality of chambers, the plurality of walls including a lower wall at the bottom of each of the plurality of chambers;
• a background contrast pattern associated with each of the lower walls of the plurality of chambers that can be viewed through the optically clear top surface;
• a chemical dye located in each of the plurality of chambers;
• and
• a first additive in the first chamber for inhibiting the growth of the microorganisms within the fluid sample, the second chamber being free of an additive that inhibits the growth of the microorganisms;
• and
• wherein, after a time period, in the second chamber, (i) the background contrast pattern becomes hazy in response to a turbidity change in the fluid sample caused by the growth of the microorganisms, and (ii) the chemical die causes a color of the fluid sample to change to a first color in response to the growth of the microorganisms.
• wherein, after the time period, in the first chamber (i) the background contrast pattern is noticeably less hazy than the background contrast pattern of the second chamber, and (ii) a color of the fluid sample is similar to an original color of the fluid sample due to the first additive inhibiting the growth of the microorganism.