Effect of seawater storage on coliforms, faecal coliforms and Escherichia coli.

The effect of refrigeration of seawater samples for 24 h prior to assaying coliforms, faecal coliforms and Escherichia coli was assessed. When the initial coliform counts were low, the amount of bacteria in refrigerated samples decreased. When the number of initial total coliforms was high, there was an increase following cold storage. E. coli counts also decreased. Faecal coliforms, when in the initial 200-500 count range, showed a decrease during cold storage but with good correlation (r = 0.9). In all other groups, no correlation between counts of before versus after storage was found. Assessment of seawater pollution following 24 h cold storage should not be made.