Passive sampling for pathogens detection in drinking water distribution networks: a quantitative experimental protocol and performance comparison

Drinking water distribution networks (DWDN) might run up against pathogen contaminations. However, these events are sporadic and difficult to be promptly identified with current sampling methods. Passive sampling, which is a procedure where a sampling device is kept in contact with the water matrix to be sampled for several hours or days, could highly increase the likelihood of detection of such occurrences. Since its applications have been mainly focused on detection of SARSCoV-2 in wastewater, this work had the goal of developing an experimental protocol to quantitatively evaluate different passive samplers for bacterial detection and to apply it to compare a commercial cellulose-based gauze and two cellulose-based nanosponges to detect E. coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis and total heterotrophic bacteria (THB).