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  • Microbial Source Tracking (MST) Service

Microbial Source Tracking (MST) Service

Identify. Trace. Protect.

Kata Farkas is our expert in Microbial Source Tracking

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Why MST?

Faecal pollution in rivers and waterbodies may pose serious risks to public health and ecosystems. Traditional testing methods cannot tell you where the pollution is coming from — but we can.

Our MST service leverages the World Health Organization’s (WHO) One Health approach considering animal, human and environment health as one. We developed a method that enables the accurate and sensitive quantification of DNA markers that indicates the source of faecal contamination (human vs animal) in any aquatic environment.

Partnered with:

ADAS Biotechnology – Experts in environmental DNA and molecular diagnostics.

    Applications

    MST enables targeted interventions for faecal pollution, reducing unnecessary infrastructure spending and streamlining remediation efforts. Its scientifically validated methodology ensures reliable results, while the flexibility of the service allows it to be tailored to diverse client needs. We provide a full service from site evaluation, human vs agricultural risk assessment to mitigation strategies (nature-based solutions) to improve water quality for regulatory compliance and catchment management. This makes MST a cost-effective investment in both environmental protection and long-term operational efficiency.

      Regulatory Compliance Support

      Providing robust evidence to meet environmental standards and support investigations.

      Pollution Source Identification

      Identifying the origin of faecal contamination — human, agricultural, or wildlife — for targeted action.

      Bathing Water Quality Assessments

      Supporting safe recreational coastal and freshwater water use by identifying contamination risks and guiding mitigation.

      Infrastructure Planning and Investment

      Informing decisions on wastewater treatment upgrades and storm overflow management.

      Case Study: Tracking Human Pollution


      Focusing on a small river in England, the study used the human-specific faecal marker HF183 and a validated qPCR method to trace sources of faecal pollution. Results showed a significant increase in HF183 concentrations downstream of the local sewage treatment works, indicating treated effluent as the primary contributor. Unexpectedly high upstream levels also suggested additional human faecal inputs from sources like septic tanks. The study confirmed the reliability of HF183 as a marker and highlighted the need for a comprehensive, independent MST service to support water quality management and pollution mitigation efforts in the UK. Read more about it here:

      Case Study
      Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment
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      Microbiology
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      BRAWOLINER® Lining System
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      SEKISUI SPR®TF Lining System
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      Created by potrace 1.16, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2019

      Get in touch

      If you would like more information about any of our products or services, or have a question please don't hesitate to get in touch. One of our friendly team will get back to you promptly.

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      Can we stay in touch?

      Your details will be stored within our CRM to allow us to handle your enquiry. We'd love to keep in touch and send you our newsletters and other notifications we think may be of interest to you. Please let us know if we have your permission for this.

      Kata Farkas

      Principal Consultant

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