<div class="csl-bib-body">
<div class="csl-entry">Campostrini, L., Demeter, K., Linke, R., Pölz, A., Stevenson, M. E., Derx, J., Jakwerth, S., Lindner, G., Shajkofci, A., Grasso, L., Peer, S., Zessner, M., Kirschner, A. K. T., & Farnleitner, A. H. (2026). Performance of on-site flow cytometry for near-real-time microbiological analysis of alpine karst drinking water resources. <i>Npj Clean Water</i>, <i>9</i>(1), Article 6. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41545-025-00536-5</div>
</div>
-
dc.identifier.issn
2059-7037
-
dc.identifier.uri
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12708/224447
-
dc.description.abstract
This study presents the first rigorous, multi-parameter evaluation of near-real-time flow cytometry (FCM) for automated on-site monitoring at a model alpine karst spring used as a drinking water resource. We tested automated FCM for its capacity to indicate microbial cell inputs from the catchment surface (SRI) and to indirectly indicate diffuse faecal contamination (DFC). A nested 10-year study design combined low-frequency monitoring with high-frequency event sampling. The instruments tested in the study performed well under challenging field conditions and reliably quantified microbial cells, as validated against established methods. FCM parameters robustly detected SRI and, indirectly, DFC, in a catchment with diffuse animal faecal contamination sources. The same performance was observed for the online physico-chemical parameters UV254 and turbidity. The combination of these biotic and abiotic indicators outperformed single parameters in early warning analyses, demonstrating their potential for water safety planning by enabling timely and specific responses. The various aspects of the automated on-site monitoring devices used are discussed in detail. While automated FCM already supports the indirect detection of diffuse faecal pollution, further technical advances are necessary to extend its scope toward the specific and sensitive detection of faecal contamination.
en
dc.description.sponsorship
EUREKA
-
dc.description.sponsorship
MA31 - Wiener Wasser
-
dc.language.iso
en
-
dc.publisher
NATURE PORTFOLIO
-
dc.relation.ispartof
npj Clean Water
-
dc.rights.uri
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
-
dc.subject
online flow cytometry
en
dc.subject
water quality
en
dc.title
Performance of on-site flow cytometry for near-real-time microbiological analysis of alpine karst drinking water resources
en
dc.type
Article
en
dc.type
Artikel
de
dc.rights.license
Creative Commons Namensnennung 4.0 International
de
dc.rights.license
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
en
dc.contributor.affiliation
Interuniversity Cooperation Centre Water & Health, Austria