At what temperature should fecal coliform membrane filter plates be incubated?

The incubation temperature for fecal coliform membrane filter plates is critical for accurately detecting the presence of fecal coliform bacteria in water samples. The specified temperature of 44.5 degrees Celsius, with a tolerance of plus or minus 0.2 degrees Celsius, is optimal for this purpose. At this higher temperature, selective growth conditions are created that favor the growth of fecal coliforms, such as Escherichia coli, while inhibiting the growth of other bacteria that may be present in the sample.

This elevated incubation temperature helps to differentiate fecal coliforms from other non-fecal organisms, ensuring that the results are specific and reliable when assessing water quality. This method is commonly used in water quality testing to assess contamination by human or animal waste, which is crucial for environmental monitoring and public health safety. The other temperatures listed would not provide the same level of specificity in identifying fecal coliforms, making them unsuitable for this analysis.