Conidia Bioscience FUELSTAT™ MARINE/LAND Diesel Test Kit


 

In response to calls from the marine and land vehicle operators, and in particular the navies, for a real-time test for microbial contamination in diesel fuel systems and tanks, Conidia Bioscience has developed the FUELSTAT™ Marine Test Kit for use on marine and land based diesel fuels.

 

The objective of the test is to provide rapid screening of fuel samples (or water from the bottom of a fuel tank – water phase can hold a thousand times more microorganisms in it than the fuel phase), giving a quick and accurate assessment of H. res, bacteria and fungi (moulds & yeasts)in the fuel tank.

 

The FUELSTAT™ test kit does not utilise the traditional growth-based methods employed by laboratories and all other "rapid" tests currently on the market, which require a minimum of 72 hours to provide any results. FUELSTAT™ is an immunoassay test (rather like a pregnancy test, but hundreds of times more sensitive). This means that it detects contamination by "finding" material that is produced by the 3 different types of contaminants that grow in fuel. Therefore, there is no need to capture a part of the living organism and grow it up.

 

This is important as the main fungus the test kit detects, Hormoconis resinae (H.res) or "The Diesel Bug" does not just float around at the fuel/water interface like the other microbes; it actually sticks to the bottom or sides of the tank. This style of testing is also important as the "produced material" from the organisms is spread throughout the liquid of the tank, not just at the interface. Therefore, there is a better chance of finding that "produced material" in a small sample. The result is a more accurate and consistent answer.

 

The FUELSTAT™ test kit measures by wet weight the amount of different types of live contamination i.e. H. res, bacteria and fungi (moulds & yeasts) actively growing in the sample. This is a newer, more accurate measurement system than the old Colony Forming Unit (CFU) count, which is still in common use.

 

The test provides results based on a traffic light scenario:

 

- Negative (green light) – negligible contamination

Fuel - Below 4,000 cfu/l or 150 μg/l

Water - Below 1,000 cfu/ml or33 μg/ml

 

- Low Positive (amber light) – moderate contamination

Fuel – 4,000 – 20,000 cfu/l or 150 - 750 μg/l

Water – 1,000 – 10,000 cfu/ml or 33 – 166 μg/ml

 

- High Positive (red light) – heavy contamination

Fuel – Above 20,000 cfu/l or 750 μg/l

Water - Above 10,000 cfu/ml or 166 μg/m

 

**Click Here for flow chart, for further explanation**

 

 

The Test Kit:

Packaged in a foil pouch that is split in two, each FUELSTAT™ Test Kit contains a 3n1 test paddle and pipette (chemical dropper) in one section and a sample preparation bottle (a sealed 160ml plastic bottle containing 3.0ml of blue extraction buffer),a "dropper cap" and instructions for use in the other section.

 

The test paddle utilises lateral flow (wicking) technology (resembling a female pregnancy tester, but is hundreds of times more sensitive) and antibodies to detect the three micobial contaminants found in the fuel.

 

The test paddle has six (6) Lateral Flow Devices (LFD’s) included in each 3n1 test:

 

Level 1 (LOW) 3 devices with cut off levels for H Res, bacteria and fungi at a level derived from IATA Guidance Material where the microbes have established themselves as a consortium and a fuel treatment is required. At this level the consortium is generally undetectable by the human eye.

 

Level 2 (HIGH) 3 devices with cut off levels for H. res, bacteria and fungi at a level derived from IATA Guidance Material where the microbes are growing so rapidly, or have been growing for a long time, that they may be causing damage to the structure of the tank or are likely to cause filter blockage and component failure. This level of contamination requires tank cleaning and fuel treatment before it can cause further damage. At this level biomass should be very visable in the filtration/water seperation system or on the bottom ofthe tank.

 

**CLICK HERE** for FUELSTAT Introduction Overview Document

Reid Yacht Services are Distribuors for the FUELSTAT™ test kit

Please contact us for prices and availability

 

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