Economical, simple, and fast method uses apparatus which detects bacteria by photography. Apparatus contains camera, film assembly, calibrated light bulb, opaque plastic plate with built-in reflecting surface and transparent window section, opaque slide, plate with chemical packages, and cover containing roller attached to handle

Macleod, N. H.

Rich, E.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

Handle
Chemical-
Package 
Plate 
August 1973	 B73-10222 
• NASA TECH BRIEF 
Goddard Space Flight Center 
NASA Tech Briefs announce new technology derived from the U.S. space program. They are issued to encourage 
commercial application. Tech Briefs are available on a subscription basis from the National Technical Information 
Service, Springfield, Virginia 22151. Requests for individual copies or questions relating to the Tech Brief program may 
be directed to the Technology Utilization Office, NASA, Code KT, Washington, D.C. 20546. 
Bacterial Contamination Monitor 
Roller
Second Plastic 
Filling Tube	 First Plastic Chamber	 Chamber
Frangible Orifice 
Opaque Slide 
Opaque Plastic Plate 	 Transparent Window 
Calibrated	 Lr' 
Light Bulb
Handle for 
Battery
	 Internal Reflecting Surface	 Film Assembly 
Camera Housing
Bacterial Contamination Monitor 
The problem: 
Drinking water and foods contaminated with bacteria 
have at one time or another immobilized or destroyed 
large human populations. Millions have died from 
cholera and typhoid fever and many have suffered from 
dysentery just from drinking contaminated water. Con-
taminated foods, on the other hand, have caused
diseases was sharply reduced to just a few isolated 
cases. However, their danger still exists. Today, many 
laboratories are using sophisticated equipment to detect 
bacteria in food and water intended for human con-
sumption. This equipment, although effective, is not 
suited for field applications. Typically, it takes many 
hours to detect bacteria and then only by highly 
trained people. 
'	 countless stomach disorders as well as cases of deadly 
botulism. As sanitation improved, the incidence of these
(continued overleaf) 
This document was prepared under the sponsorship of the National
	 Government assumes any liability resulting from the use of the 
Aeronautics and Space Administration. Neither the United States
	 information contained in this document, or warrants that such use 
Government nor any person acting on behalf of the United States
	 will be free from privately owned rights.
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19730000222 2020-03-17T07:11:52+00:00Z
The solution: 
An economical, simple, and fast method uses an 
apparatus which detects bacteria by photography. 
How it's done: 
The apparatus is designed to photograph a well-known 
chemical reaction which is used to detect the presence 
of living organisms. Specifically, all living organisms, 
including bacteria, contain adenosine triphosphate. This 
chemical reacts with luciferin and luciferase to emit 
light. The intensity of this light is directly related to the 
number of living organisms present in a given sample. 
The apparatus shown in the figure contains a camera, 
a film assembly, a calibrated light bulb, an opaque plastic 
plate with built-in reflecting surface and transparent 
window section, an opaque slide, a plate with chemical 
packages, and a cover containing a roller attached to a 
handle. In use, the liquid sample to be tested is 
introduced into a filling tube located on the chemical-
package plate. The tube is connected to a plastic 
chamber which contains a preselected quantity of 
butanol, magnesium, and water, all totaling to about 
5 ml. This chamber is connected by a frangible orifice 
with a second plastic chamber which contains pelletized 
freeze-dried luciferin and luciferase. 
After the sample is introduced, the chemical-package 
plate is placed over the opaque slide. The handle on the 
upper cover is then extended to its maximum excursion, 
and the cover issecured over the chemical-package plate. 
With the apparatus now assembled, the handle is slowly 
pushed forward so that the roller will squeeze the 
sample into the first chamber and then into the second 
by breaking the orifice. The entire contents are now in 
the second chamber which is located directly above the 
transparent window. 
Given a short time, the chemical reaction will be 
complete, and if any bacteria are present, the mixture
will emit light. At this point, the opaque slide is pulled 
out and the mixture is photographed with a 10-second 
exposure. Only one section of the film is exposed to the 
package. The remainder is simultaneously exposed to a 
battery-operated light bulb through a calibration wedge. 
The light path to the film frame is by way of an in-
ternal reflecting surface. This is done to determine 
light intensity due to background effects. The exposure 
is produced on a self-developing, 10,000 ASA Polaroid 
film. When the photograph is ready, it is compared with 
a standard chart which will indicate the amount of 
bacteria that causes the brightness level of the light 
reaction in the sample. 
Note: 
Requests for further information may be directed to: 
Technology Utilization Officer 
Goddard Space Flight Center 
Code 207.1 
Greenbelt, Maryland 20771 
Reference: TSP73-10222 
Patent status: 
This invention has been patented by NASA (U.S. 
Patent No. 3,666,631). Inquiries concerning nonex -
clusive or exclusive license for its commercial develop-
ment should be addressed to: 
Patent Counsel 
Goddard Space Flight Center 
Code 204 
Greenbelt, Maryland 20771 
Source: Edward Rich and Norman H. MacLeod
Goddard Space Flight Center 
(GSC- 10879)
. 
U 
B73-10222	 Category 05


Bacterial contamination monitor

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