ISO 8199-2018 PDF

Full title and description

ISO 8199:2018 — Water quality — General requirements and guidance for microbiological examinations by culture. This International Standard provides general requirements and guidance on the manipulations common to culture-based techniques used for the microbiological examination of water, including sample preparation, culture media, apparatus and enumeration approaches for bacteria, yeasts and moulds (with some applicability to viruses and parasites).

Abstract

This document specifies requirements and gives guidance for performing manipulations common to each culture technique for microbiological examination of water. It describes available detection and enumeration techniques by culture, criteria for choosing an appropriate technique, and aspects of sample preparation, media, apparatus and glassware. Techniques not based on culturing (for example PCR methods) are excluded. The standard is primarily intended for bacteria, yeasts and moulds, with some relevance to bacteriophages, viruses and parasites.

General information

• Status: Published (International Standard; confirmed stage).
• Publication date: October 2018.
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
• ICS / categories: 07.100.20 (Water quality; microbiology of water).
• Edition / version: Edition 3 (ISO 8199:2018).
• Number of pages: 56 pages (official ISO bibliographic record).

Scope

ISO 8199:2018 provides general requirements and guidance for culture-based microbiological examinations of water. It covers preparation and handling of samples, preparation and use of culture media, sterilization and handling of apparatus and glassware, and the principal enumeration techniques (plate counts, membrane filtration, most probable number approaches and related methods). It gives criteria for selecting appropriate enumeration techniques and notes exclusions for non-culture methods such as PCR. The guidance is aimed mainly at examinations for bacteria, yeasts and moulds; some guidance can also apply to bacteriophages, viruses and parasites.

Key topics and requirements

• General laboratory requirements and good microbiological practice for water testing (sample handling, aseptic technique).
• Preparation, quality and use of diluents and culture media for enumeration tests.
• Sterilization, cleaning and validation of apparatus and glassware used in culture methods.
• Enumeration methods overview: colony count (plate count), membrane filtration, inoculation in liquid media and MPN approaches; criteria for method selection.
• Instructions on inoculation, incubation, colony counting and interpretation of results, including limitations and factors affecting accuracy.
• Informative annexes (for example MPN tables and criteria for choosing techniques) to support implementation.

Typical use and users

Used by environmental and public-health laboratories, water suppliers and treatment operators, regulatory bodies, test method developers and laboratories performing routine or investigational microbiological analyses of drinking, surface, ground, recreational and wastewater. It acts as a general guidance document to support implementation of specific analytical methods and national/regional requirements.

Related standards

This standard replaces earlier editions ISO 8199:2005 and ISO 8199:1988 (both withdrawn) and is part of ISO's water‑quality microbiology suite. Relevant companion standards often cited together with ISO 8199 include ISO 6222 (colony count by inoculation on nutrient agar), the ISO 9308 series (enumeration of Escherichia coli and coliforms by membrane filtration and MPN methods) and parts of the ISO 5667 series (sampling guidance).

Keywords

water quality; microbiology; culture methods; enumeration; colony count; membrane filtration; most probable number (MPN); sample preparation; culture media; sterilization; ISO 8199.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO 8199:2018 is an International Standard giving general requirements and guidance for culture‑based microbiological examinations of water, covering sample preparation, media, apparatus and enumeration techniques.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers manipulations common to culture techniques (plate counts, membrane filtration, inoculation in liquid media, MPN), preparation and handling of samples and media, sterilization of apparatus, counting and interpretation procedures, and criteria for choosing methods. It excludes non‑culture techniques such as PCR.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Environmental and public health laboratories, water utilities, regulators, test method developers and any laboratory performing microbiological examination of water.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: ISO 8199:2018 is the current published edition (edition 3, published October 2018). Earlier editions (ISO 8199:2005 and ISO 8199:1988) have been withdrawn and replaced by the 2018 edition.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: It is a general guidance document within the ISO water‑quality microbiology family and is commonly used alongside method‑specific standards such as ISO 6222 (plate counts), the ISO 9308 series (E. coli and coliform enumeration) and the ISO 5667 sampling series.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Water quality, microbiology, culture methods, enumeration, plate count, membrane filtration, most probable number (MPN), sample preparation, culture media, sterilization, ISO 8199.