Vanguard Systems

EFFICACY OF VANGUARD

REPORT # 04-05-12-79-R01

Laboratory report on testing the efficacy of Hydro Products Corp’s Vanguard System. The Vanguard System is a mechanical and chemical system for cleaning and possible sanitizing of waste organic debris and biological material. This report summarizes the results of hose surfaces sampled from mobile wastewater equipment’s jet line sewer cleaning and maintenance lines.

Jack Matthews,
Lab Manager
5/26/12

EFFICACY OF HYDRo PRODUCTS’ VANGUARD SYSTEM

Report # 04-05-12-79-r01

This report documents the findings of TG Labs of the efficacy of the Hydro Products Corp’s jet cleaning system (aka Vanguard System) with respect to soiled jet cleaning hose lines used in maintenance operations in the wastewater systems (sewer). Specimens were sampled in the waste water system of the City of Colorado Springs, Colorado USA.

A Technician from TG Labs sampled the jet hose lines during operation of sewer system cleaning equipment (trucks) at four locations in the Colorado Springs sewer distribution system.

Samples were taken from the hose surfaces in one of three operation modes: 1) with Vanguard System in off position i.e. no mechanical or chemical treatment (raw); 2) with the Vanguard System in the low chemical treatment position, 3) with the Vanguard System in the high chemical treatment position. Details of the high and low chemical treatment were not supplied to TG Labs. Representatives from Hydro Products were present during the field sampling.

BACKGROUND ON HYDRO PRODUCTS’ SYSTEM

The Hydro Products Vanguard System includes a chemical treatment, and a mechanical high-pressure apparatus that is manually fit onto the sewer line manhole opening. The mobile cleaning equipment’s jet cleaning hose is then captive on a low friction roller for easier retrieval from the sewer line and at the roller device a series of nozzles apply high pressure chemical treatment onto the jet hose which is in retrieval mode onto the truck. The high-pressure chemical system provides a cleaning action to the jet hose, which may provide protection to sanitation workers from biological hazards associated with the sewer maintenance activities.

 

Figure 1 Sewer Maintenance Truck with Jet line deployed

FIELD SAMPLING

Site sewer line cleaning operations were sampled on Wed May 9th, 2012 by TGL. Following EPA standard 816-R-01-017A technique for sampling coliform. Field tech sampled jet line using sterile swab and a reagent to arrest chlorine action of residual chlorine. Samples were taken in four geographic locations through out the city of Colorado Springs.

 

PROCEDURE

Samples were taken while truck was in operation. For each of the geographic locations, the samples were conducted in the same manner as described here.

  1. Release the jet line into the sewer to a specified length.
  2. Attach the Hydro Products Vanguard System (system) and retrieve jet line onto truck until wetted portion of line is visible.
  3. Using aseptic technique, sample the exterior of the jet line hose with swab stick.
  4. Place swab stick into sterile container prefilled with sodium thiosulfate.
  5. Label specimen container and place in portable cooler at <10 degrees C.
  6. Start the Hydro Products’ system with low chemical application and spool the jet line onto the truck approximately 8 feet.
  7. Repeat sampling of the jet line hose surface.
  8. Sample the exterior of the jet line hose with swab; again use aseptic technique throughout this procedure.
  9. Place swab into sterile container prefilled with sodium thiosulfate.
  10. Label specimen container and place in portable cooler at <10 degrees C.
  11. Adjust the Hydro Products’ system to high chemical application and spool the jet line onto the truck approximately 8 feet
  12. Take a third sample of the jet line hose surface by sampling the exterior of the jet line hose with swab stick.
  13. Place swab stick into sterile container prefilled with sodium thiosulfate.
  14. Label specimen container and place in portable cooler at <10 degrees C.
  15. Directly transport the sample container to laboratory for dilutions, plating and incubation.
Figure 2 Hydro Products’ Vanguard System with surface of jet line sampling.

TESTING

All samples were placed in refrigeration until the following day. Dilutions were made from the swabs and were incubated at 44.5   C for 24 hours. The diluents were then plated for further incubation in a lactose selective Agar petri dish. Both MPN and SPC testing procedures were conducted on specific samples. It is customary to report results of the coliform test by the multiple-tube fermentation procedure as a Most Probable Number (MPN) index. This is an index of the number of coliform bacteria that, more probably than any other number, would give the results shown by laboratory examination; it is not an actual enumeration. By contrast, direct plating methods such as the swab dilution procedure permit a direct count of coliform colonies. In both procedures coliform density is reported conventionally as the MPN or swab count per 10mL.

Use of either procedure permits appraising the sanitary quality of wastewater and the effectiveness of the Hydro-products treatment processes. Because it is not necessary to provide a quantitative assessment of coliform bacteria for all samples, a qualitative, presence-absence test is included. Here, however we have provided both quantitative and presence-absence evaluations.

RESULTS TABULATED

Test results are presented below for each sample. Fecal Coliform MPN SM 9221 C/E and Standard Plate Count BAM Ch3

Table 1 – Sampled specimen results

Legend: * = Scope analysis, # = subcontracted analysis, MDL = Method Detection Limit, ND = Not Detected at the Method Detection Limit, NA = Not tested

 

Sample ID SAMPLE DESCRIPTION DATE OF ANALYSIS M/D/Y *FECAL COLIFORM MPN UNITS *STANDARD PLATE COUNT SPC UNITS M D L
1,
1205091
8-01A
Location 1, wastewater sample swab, no cleaning (neat), 5/8/12 5/9/12 Absent MPN/swab 2500 CFU/swab
2,
1205091
8-02A
Location 1, wastewater sample swab, low chemical, 5/8/12 5/9/12 Absent MPN/swab 400 CFU/swab
3,
1205091
8-03A
Location 1, wastewater sample swab, high chemical, 5/8/12 5/9/12 Absent MPN/swab 50 CFU/swab
4,
1205091
8-04A
Location 2, wastewater sample swab, no cleaning (neat), 5/8/12 5/9/12 8 MPN/swab 2500 CFU/swab
5,
1205091
8-05A
Location 2, wastewater sample swab, low chemical, 5/8/12 5/9/12 Absent MPN/swab 40 CFU/swab
6,
1205091
8-06A
Location 2, wastewater sample swab, high chemical, 5/8/12 5/9/12 Absent MPN/swab Less than 10 CFU/swab
7,
1205091
8-07A
Location 3, wastewater sample swab, no cleaning (neat), 5/8/12 5/9/12 Greater than 1600 MPN/swab 2200 CFU/swab
8,
1205091
8-08A
Location 3, wastewater sample swab, low chemical, 5/8/12 5/9/12 Absent MPN/swab 40 CFU/swab
9,
1205091
8-09A
Location 3, wastewater sample swab, high chemical, 5/8/12 5/9/12 Absent MPN/swab Less than 10 CFU/swab
10,
1205091
8-10A
Location 4, wastewater sample swab, no cleaning (neat), 5/8/12 5/9/12 Greater than 1600 MPN/swab 2600 CFU/swab
11,
1205091
8-11A
Location 4, wastewater sample swab, low chemical, 5/8/12 5/9/12 Absent MPN/swab Less than 10 CFU/swab
12,
1205091
8-12A
Location 4, wastewater sample swab, high chemical, 5/8/12 5/9/12 Absent MPN/swab 20 CFU/swab

SUMMARY

The test results show, if not statistically, certainly comparatively, the Hydro Products Corp’s Vanguard System reduced the harmful pathogenic load exhibited on the exterior of the jet line hose during operation.

The reduction of pathogens from 2500 CFU to 50 CFU represents two orders of magnitude reduction in contamination. All samples had consistent results please refer to Table 1.

Additional notes: During sampling, the technician noted the Hydro Products’ Vanguard System was affective in debriding solid fecal matter from the hose surface. This was attributed to the effect of the high-pressure rinse action. The rinse was further enhanced by the angle of the jet nozzles. That is, the angled nozzles acted counter current to direction of the jet line spooling onto the truck or mobile equipment.

Jack Matthews,
Lab Manager
5/26/12

Chain of Custody and Test report copies available upon request

Attachments: Photos, series 1 pre-incubation Agar plates, series 2 post incubation Agar plates