Assessment of the Bacterial Contamination and Remediation Efficacy After Flooding Using Fluorometric Detection

In the aftermath of flooding, rapid response assessment and cleanup is critical to recovery. In this study, the level of contamination of bacteria on surfaces in flooded houses was estimated and compared to the level found on surfaces in non-flooded houses with a rapid field test based on hydrolase enzyme activity present in bacteria and by measuring endotoxin. Sampling was performed by swabbing a 9 cm2 area using sterile cotton swabs wetted with a bacteriostatic buffer. A correlation between endotoxin levels and levels of hydrolase activity was seen (R2 = 0.6469, P