ArticleIn the last few decades, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has become one of the
most powerful molecular biological tools. However, the PCR is an enzymatic reaction and
therefore sensitive to inhibitors which may occur in drinking water samples. In this
work, the
possible inhibition effect of chlorine, humic acids, and iron for real
-
time PCR (qPCR) efficiency
was studied and the environmental sample from drinking water treatment system before iron
removal was selected and analysed. The results demonstrate
d that the highest concentrations of
humic acids (5
mg
L
-
1
and 1
mg
L
-
1
) and iron (4
mg
L
-
1
) inhibited the PCR reaction while no
effect of chlorine was observed. The analysis of the environmental sample with spiked
Escherichia coli
cells demonstrated reduc
tion efficiency of the average threshold cycle (C
t
)
values compared with control dilution series determining the possible inhibition for qPCR assay