[[Image:Example_results_Easygel_test.jpg|thumb|right|250px200px|Example results Easygel test]]__NOTOC__ <small-title />
Easygel is a replacement product for agar that is more convenient to use and transport. Easygel is a pectin-gel method which comes as a sterile 2-part test unit consisting of a bottle of liquid medium and a petri dish that is pretreated with a special formulation. When the bottle of liquid medium is poured in to the pretreated petri dish, the combination causes the medium to gel. Complete gelling takes around 40 minutes, after which a petri dish is ready to use. There are several formulations of Easygel, ranging from the common Total Count (Standard Plate Count) formulation to the patented Coliscan formulation. <br>
Their patented testing methods eliminate the dependence on agar and expensive equipment, and offer the easiest and most effective ways to test water for coliform and E. coli bacteria.
===Suitable Conditions===
Both the Easygel and the MF approaches work very well when used properly. The Easygel® is provided as a liquid medium which contains a gelling agent that causes the medium to solidify when it is poured into a petri dish containing a layer of calcium ions so that it resembles a standard prepoured agar plate. The gelled dish can be streaked or swabbed with test material or a small test sample (generally 1-5 mL) can be added prior to pouring. The MF consists of a liquid medium without a gelling agent which is used to saturate a sterile pad in a small petri dish in conjunction with a micropore membrane filter which has filtered an aqueous test sample, with the sample generally being of a larger volume. Both approaches use very similar formulations and ingredients with the exception of the gelling agent. (For those familiar with the membrane filter approach where the medium is agar based and a solid layer is formed in a dish as the foundation for the membrane filter, Coliscan® can also be prepared in this manner. It is not currently offered in this format other than by custom request.)
The Easygel® is designed for use when the number of target organisms/mL of sample is quite high and therefore the number of colony forming units/plate will be high enough to count with accuracy when a 1-5 mL sample is added directly to the medium.
The MF is designed for situations where the test sample has very low numbers of target organisms and it is necessary to validate the absence or very low count of the target organisms, while the Easygel approach is excellent for determining populations of target organisms when they are commonly present in relatively large numbers in the test materials.
===Construction, operations and maintenance===[[Image:easygel process.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Pouring the Easygel™ solution into the petri plate. Photo: [http://www.rpcs.org/essre/2002/ESSRE%202002%20Student%20Webs/ESSRE%202002%20%28uv%20+%20mold%29/serialdilutions.htm Rpsc.org]]]
=====Instructions=====
Either collect your water sample in a sterile container and transport the water back to the test site, or take a measured water sample directly from the source and place directly into the bottle of Coliscan Easygel. Water samples kept longer than one (1) hour prior to plating, or any Coliscan Easygel bottle that has had a sample placed into it for transport longer than ten (10) minutes, should be kept on ice or in a refrigerator until plated. <br>
# Label the petri dishes with the appropriate sample information. A permanent marker or wax pencil will work. <br>
## Place 5 ml (about 1 teaspoon) of straight bleach onto the surface of the medium of each plate. Allow to sit at least 5 minutes. Place in a watertight bag and discard in trash. <br>
=====Interpretation of Results=====
This test method utilizes well established, widely accepted criteria for the recognition of coliforms and E. coli and proper application of the method will result in accurate results. Therefore, if you suspect that your water is dangerously contaminated based on the results you get using Coliscan Easygel, you should contact your local health department and ask for their help in performing an official assessment of water. <br>
Non-fecal coliforms are widely distributed in nature, being found both as naturally occurring soil organisms, and in the intestines of warm-blooded animals and humans. Fecal coliforms are coliforms found naturally only in the intestines of warm-blooded animals and humans. Fecal coliform contamination is therefore the result of some form of fecal contamination. Sources may be either animal or human.
===Costs==[[Image:Cost_of_Easygel_products.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Cost of Easygel products]]=
Depending on the contents of the kit, and which type of gel is used, the cost of an Easygel kit ranges between $14 and $55.
==Field Experiences==[[Image:Cost_of_Easygel_products.jpg|thumb|none|300px|Cost of Easygel products. Click image to zoom.]]
==Reference manuals=Field Experiences===* A study of different water testing methods, including Easygel: [http://www.iwaponline.com/washdev/001/0068/0010068.pdf Comparison and verification of four field-based microbiological tests: H2S test, videosEasygel®, Colilert®, PetrifilmTM.]* An analysis of drinking water contaminant concentrations in the highlands of rural Guatemala, using the Coliscan EasyGel: [http://ascelibrary.org/doi/abs/10.1061/41036%28342%29390 Drinking Water Field Analyses for the Detection and links==Enumeration of Coliform Bacteria in Rural Guatemalan Highlands]
==Acknowledgements=Manuals, videos and links===* PowerPoint presentation: [http://iom.edu/~/media/Files/Activity%20Files/PublicHealth/MicrobialThreats/Sobsey.pdf Current Issues and Approaches to Microbial Testing of Water: Applicability and Use of Current Tests in the Developing World]* [http://micrologylabs.mennonite.net/Home/About_Us/History The History of the Development of the Easygel ® and Coliscan ® Methods]* A PDF based on a PowerPoint presentation: [http://www.micorps.net/documents/wolfson_ecoli07.pdf E. coli Monitoring – Effective Techniques and Test Kits for Volunteers]* Instructions how to use Easygel with images: [http://www.rpcs.org/essre/2002/ESSRE%202002%20Student%20Webs/ESSRE%202002%20%28uv%20+%20mold%29/serialdilutions.htm Serial Dilution Instructions]
