Virus Analysis
Analytical Services, Inc. (ASI) offers a wide range of virus testing capabilities to detect, enumerate and/or determine viral infectivity as required.
ASI routinely receives samples of various matrices from clients throughout the U.S. for viral analyses, including water, wastewater, sediments and biosolids. Projects include:
- Routine public water supply monitoring
- Groundwater investigations / research
- Recreational water / Receiving water monitoring
- Wastewater discharge
- Reclaimed water surveillance
- Stormwater research and pilot plant assessment
- Biosolids monitoring for 503 compliance
- Excavation / remediation projects where sewage contamination has raised pathogen concerns
Depending on project requirements, water samples may be collected as bulks or by on-site filtration using an electro-positive filter (ASI provides the filter, sampling unit, and instructions). Our standard viral screen detects adenovirus, astrovirus, enteroviruses as a group (Coxsackie virus, echovirus and poliovirus) and rotavirus. Target viruses can be changed to meet the data objectives (e.g., Norovirus, Hepatitis A virus, etc.), as can the protocol used to include quantification and/or infectivity as appropriate.
Qualifications - With our affiliated laboratory directed by Dr. Aaron Margolin at University of New Hampshire (UNH), ASI has been at the forefront of the application of integrated cell culture / quantitative polymerase chain reaction (ICC/qPCR) to screen environmental samples for enteric viruses.
Dr. Margolin’s laboratory has been used as a model for setting up molecular testing laboratories and he is nationally recognized as an expert virologist with participation in numerous publications and research efforts. ASI/UNH was one of the few microbiology laboratory entities approved by the USEPA to analyze virus samples for compliance with the Information Collection Rule (ICR) and we were subsequently contracted by the USEPA to reanalyze ICR sample concentrates using molecular techniques. ASI was the first laboratory in the U.S. to be licensed by Perkin-Elmer Corporation and Roche Molecular Systems to perform PCR on commercial environmental samples.
For more information, please click Here for ASI’s technical document regarding Viruses or contact our Clients Services team