# US 5,349,874 A · Method for microbiological monitoring > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,349,874 A - Document ID: US5349874A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 07/777,158 - Filed: 1991-10-16 - Granted: 1994-09-27 - Earliest claimed: 1988-02-04 - Assignees: Houseman Limited - Inventors: Simon F. D. Schapira; Robin W. Eycott; William P. Richardson; Jim S. Robinson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5349874A ## CPC - G01N 17/00: Investigating resistance of materials to the weather, to corrosion, or to light - C12M 33/00: {Means for introduction, transport, positioning, extraction, harvesting, peeling or sampling of biological material in or from the apparatus (chemical or physical laboratory apparatus in general B01L, devices for taking cell samples A61B10/0045, withdrawing or distributing predetermined quantities of fluid B01L99/00)} - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - C12M: APPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY; {APPARATUS FOR CULTURING MICROORGANISMS FOR PRODUCING BIOMASS, FOR GROWING CELLS OR FOR OBTAINING FERMENTATION OR METABOLIC PRODUCTS, i.e. BIOREACTORS OR FERMENTERS} ## Abstract Disclosed is a method for monitoring biofilm formation which comprises incorporating in an aquatic system, a sampler apparatus comprising a duct 1 having a port 5 in which is retained a stud 17 having a test surface 19 which lies flush with the wall of the duct. The invention can also be used to detect Legionellae bacteria. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for monitoring biofilm formation on surfaces in aquatic systems which comprises incorporating in the aquatic system a sampler apparatus comprising a duct which forms a channel for a flow of water and which has at least one port in its walls, a stud having a biofoulable test surface and retaining means comprising a sleeve having a stud-retaining bore, said stud being retained in a first end of said stud-retaining bore, and said sleeve being retained in the port in fixed relationship with respect to the duct so that the test surface is substantially flush with the duct wall and is exposed to water in the channel, said method comprising the steps of: retaining said stud in the sampler apparatus for an interval for testing; removing the sleeve from the port; attaching said stud to a stud removal member to rigidly mount said stud and stud removal member together during removal; removing said stud from said sleeve in a direction outwardly from the first end of the stud-retaining bore using said stud removal member; and collecting and analyzing the bacteria from the test surface of said stud. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1 which enables collection of bacteria at more than one time interval for testing the sampler comprising several studs with respective retaining means. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1 in which the duct has several ports in its wall each having an associated stud and respective retaining means. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1 in which the stud comprises a head one side of which forms the test surface and from the opposite side of which extends a stem. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A method according to claim 4 in which the stud has a sloping shoulder between the stem and the head. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1 in which the stud is retained in the port by retaining means comprising a sleeve which has a stud retaining bore and which is itself suitable for being retained in the respective port. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1 in which the stud is removed from the sampler apparatus by mounting on the stud removal member comprising a rod, and the mounting means is selected from screw threaded connections, bayonet fixings and push fit connections between the stud and the stud removal member. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1 in which the or each stud comprises a stem and a head, one side of which forms the test surface and from the opposite side of which extends the stem, and in which the stud removal member comprises a rod which has substantially the same diameter as the stud stem. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1 in which the stud removal member is held and/or manipulated during the mounting of the stud by a handle detachably connected to the stud removal member, at the end of the stud removal member distant from the stud mount means. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1 in which the sampler apparatus is connected in parallel with the system being monitored and has an isolating valve at each end. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1 for monitoring biofilm formation on surfaces in aquatic systems in which the stud comprises a head having a test surface and a stem reaching from the head, said method additionally comprising a stud-removal step comprising removing the stud from the sampler apparatus, said stud removal step comprising positioning over the stem of the stud, a bored sleeve, the test surface of the stud remaining exposed and with the stem in a sliding fit in the bore, obtaining a removable rigid rod-shaped stud removal member which is slidable through the sleeve bore, and one end of the member has mutually co-operable mounting means with the stud stem, inserting the member into the sleeve bore so that said mutually operable mounting means of one end of the stud stem are brought into co-operation with each other whilst the stud is received in the sleeve, the stud is thereby mounted on the member for handling before and after removal of the sleeve. ### Claim 12 A method for monitoring the presence of Legionella bacteria in sessile bacteria in an aquatic system, comprising incorporating in the aquatic system a sampler apparatus comprising a duct which forms a channel for a flow of water and which has at least one port in its walls, a stud having a biofoulable test surface and retaining means comprising a sleeve having a stud-retaining bore, said stud being retained in a first end of said stud-retaining bore, and said sleeve being retained in the port in fixed relationship with respect to the duct so that the test surface is substantially flush with the duct wall and is exposed to water in the channel, said method comprising the steps of: retaining said stud in the sampler apparatus for an interval for testing; removing the sleeve from the port; attaching said stud to a stud removal member to rigidly mount said stud and stud removal member together during removal; removing said stud from said sleeve in a direction outwardly from the first end of the stud-retaining bore using said stud removal member; and collecting and analyzing the bacteria from the test surface of said stud. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) A method according to claim 12 which enables collection of bacteria at more than one time interval for testing the sampler comprising several studs with respective retaining means. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) A method according to claim 12 in which the duct has several ports in its wall each having an associated stud and respective retaining means. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) A method according to claim 12 in which the stud comprises a head one side of which forms the test surface and from the opposite side of which extends a stem. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A method according to claim 15 in which the stud has a sloping shoulder between the stem and the head. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) A method according to claim 12 in which the stud is retained in the port by retaining means comprising a sleeve which has a stud retaining bore and which is itself suitable for being retained in the respective port. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) A method according to claim 12 in which the stud is removed from the sampler apparatus by mounting on the stud removal member comprising a rod, and the mounting means is selected from screw threaded connections, bayonet fixings and push fit connections between the stud and the stud removal member. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) A method according to claim 12 in which the stud comprises a stem and a head, one side of which forms the test surface and from the opposite side of which extends the stems, and in which the stud removal member comprises a rod which has substantially the same diameter as the said stud stem. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) A method according to claim 12 in which the stud removal member is held and/or manipulated during the mounting of the stud by a handle detachably connected to the stud removal member, at the end of the stud removal member distant from the stud mount means. ### Claim 21 (depends on 12) A method according to claim 12 in which the sampler apparatus is connected in parallel with the system being monitored and has an isolating valve at each end. ### Claim 22 (depends on 12) A method according to claim 12 for monitoring the presence of Legionella bacteria among sessile bacteria in an aquatic system in which the stud comprises a head having a stem reaching from the head, said method additionally comprising a stud-removal step comprising removing the stud from the sampler apparatus, said stud-removal step comprising positioning over the stem of the stud, a bored sleeve, the test surface of the stud remaining exposed and with the stem in a sliding fit in the bore, obtaining a removable rigid rod-shaped stud removal member which is slidable through the sleeve bore, and one end of the member has mutually co-operable mounting means with the stud stem, inserting the member into the sleeve bore so that said mutually operable mounting means of one end of the stud stem are brought into co-operation with each other whilst the stud is received in the sleeve, the stud is thereby mounted on the member for handling before and after removal of the sleeve. ### Claim 23 A method for monitoring biofilm formation on surfaces in aquatic systems which comprises incorporating in aquatic systems a sampler apparatus comprising a duct which forms a channel for a flow of water and which has at least one port in its walls, a stud having a biofoulable test surface and retaining means comprising a sleeve having a stud-retaining bore, said stud comprising a head having a diameter greater than the diameter of the stud-retaining bore and one side of which forms the test surface and from the opposite side of which extends a stem, said stud being retained in a first end of said stud-retaining bore, and said sleeve being retained in the port in fixed relationship with respect to the duct so that the test surface of the stud is substantially flush with the duct wall and is exposed to water in the channel, said method comprising the steps of: retaining said stud in the sampler apparatus for an interval for testing; removing the sleeve from the port; attaching said stud to a stud removal member to rigidly mount said stud and stud removal member together during removal; removing said stud from said first end of said sleeve in a direction outwardly from the first end of the stud-retaining bore using said stud removal member; and collecting and analyzing the bacteria from the test surface of said stud. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) A method according to claim 23 in which the stud removal member comprises a rod which has substantially the same diameter as the said stud stem. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) A method according to claim 23 in which the stud removal member is held or manipulated during the mounting of the stud or both by a handle detachable connected to the stud removal member at the end of the stud removal member distant from the stud mount means. ### Claim 26 (depends on 23) A method according to claim 23 in which the stud removal member comprises a rod which has substantially the same diameter as said stud stem and in which the stud removal member is held or manipulated during the mounting of the stud or both by a handle detachably connected to the stud removal member at the end of the stud removal member distant from the stud mount means. ### Claim 27 A method for monitoring biofilm formation on surfaces in aquatic system which comprises incorporating in aquatic systems a sampler apparatus comprising a duct which forms a channel for a flow of water and which has at least one port in its wall, a stud having a biofoulable test surface and retaining means comprising a sleeve having a stud retaining bore, said stud comprising a head, one side of which forms the test surface and from the opposite side of which extends a stem, said stud having a sloping shoulder between the head and the stem, the surface area of the head being greater than the cross sectional area of the stem, and said stud being retained in a first end of said stud-retaining ore, and said sleeve being retained in the port in fixed relationship with respect to the duct so that the test surface of the stud is substantially flush with the duct wall and is exposed to water in the channel, said method comprising the steps of: retaining the stud in the sampler apparatus for an interval for testing; removing the sleeve from the port; attaching said stud to a stud removal member to rigidly mount said stud and stud removal member together during removal; removing said stud from said first end of said sleeve in a direction outwardly from the first end of the stud-retaining bore using a stud removal member; collecting and analyzing the bacteria from the test surface of said stud. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) A method according to claim 27 in which the stud removal member comprises a rod which has substantially the same diameter as said stud stem and in which the stud removal member is held or manipulated during the mounting of the stud or both by a handle detachably connected to the stud removal member at the end of the stud removal member distant from the stud mount means.